Pune Police Interrogate 450 Criminals as Hunt for Bopdev Ghat Gang Rape Suspects Intensifies
Kondhwa, 10th October 2024: A week has passed since the horrific gang rape in Pune’s Bopdev Ghat area, but the three accused remain at large. In their search for the suspects, Pune Police have now interrogated around 450 known criminals across 40 villages and settlements around Bopdev Ghat. These criminals have crime records, including charges of robbery, molestation, and rape, particularly in the ghats and hilly regions of Pune district.
The incident occurred on the night of 3rd October when a college girl was gang-raped when she had gone for walking with a friend in the Bopdev Ghat area. To track down the suspects, police have formed 60 teams. They have collected data on mobile phone users who passed through Bopdev Ghat over the last 15 days, and technical analysis of this information is underway. However, poor mobile network coverage in the area has hindered the investigation, and it is suspected that the accused may have fled through Saswad.
Police are also reviewing CCTV footage from locations up to 70 to 80 kilometers from the crime scene. Officers have visited 40 villages and settlements in the Bopdev Ghat vicinity, gathering information from dhabas, liquor sellers, and illegal businesses in those areas. While CCTV footage from several roadside hotels has been examined, many blind spots have complicated the investigation.
To aid in the search, assistance has been sought from the investigation teams of Saswad and the Rajgad Police Station under the Pune Rural Police Force. In many cases, information on criminals is obtained from other offenders, so the investigation teams have also started questioning notorious inmates at Yerawada Jail. These inmates, involved in serious crimes, are being shown sketches of the suspects in hopes of identifying them.