Pune Rural Police Rescue 10-Year-Old Girl Kidnapped by Shepherd in Junnar
Junnar, 18th April 2025: In a swift and coordinated effort, Pune Rural Police successfully rescued a 10-year-old girl who was kidnapped and forced to tend sheep by a shepherd in Shiroli Budruk village, Junnar taluka. The girl, separated from her family for two years, was saved thanks to the alertness of retired Air Force officer Dnyanadev Thorve and vigilant local residents. The incident came to light when the girl approached Thorve’s home to fetch water and revealed her kidnapping.
The girl told police she was not the shepherd Santosh’s daughter but was lured away from the Ekvira Devi fair with promises of food and new clothes. Her parents, who live in Chakan and work collecting scrap, had lost track of her following a family dispute and their absence during the fair, compounded by their intoxication. Upon learning of the situation, Thorve contacted village Police Patil Amol Thorve, who informed the Junnar police.
Junnar’s Sub-Divisional Police Officer Bhagyashree Dhirbasi took immediate action, personally engaging with the girl to build trust and deploying a police team led by Assistant Police Inspector More to investigate. Within 24 hours, the police apprehended the accused Santosh Kargal and reunited the girl with her family.
The girl’s parents had previously filed a kidnapping complaint at Lonavala Police Station on 14th June 2023.
