Three Women Accuse Pune Police of Casteist Abuse, Stage Protest at Commissioner’s Office

Pune/Kothrud, 4th August 2025: Three young women have accused Kothrud police station’s officers and police personnel of using casteist language and detaining them unlawfully, prompting a protest at the Pune Police Commissioner’s office. The protest comes in the wake of a controversial police operation linked to a missing woman case from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and has drawn sharp criticism from political leaders and social activists.

The incident began when a woman from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, who was allegedly facing harassment from her in-laws, briefly stayed with the three women at their flat in Pune’s Kothrud area. After her departure, police from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, acting on a missing person complaint filed by the woman’s in-laws, traced her whereabouts to Pune and coordinated with the local Kothrud police to visit the flat.

The three women allege that without any wrongdoing on their part, they were taken to the police station for questioning and subjected to casteist slurs and verbal abuse. “We were harassed, held without justification, and insulted with caste-based remarks by the officers,” one of the women said during the protest. “That’s why we are demanding strict action and justice.”

Protest Escalates, Political Leaders Step In
The women were sitting at the entrance of the Police Commissioner’s office, demanding accountability from the officers involved. On Sunday night, NCP (Sharad Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar met with the protesting women and condemned the police action.

Speaking at the site, Pawar stated, “The police entered their home without cause and used inappropriate and casteist language. These young women are peacefully protesting for justice, yet no FIR has been registered. This shows a complete breakdown of accountability.”

A meeting was held with Joint Commissioner of Police Ranjan Kumar Sharma, Additional Commissioners Rajesh Bansode and Manoj Patil, DCP Milind Mohite, and activists in the presence of Pawar and Anjalitai Ambedkar.

Later, in a sharp tweet today, Pawar wrote:
“The government machinery, weakened by the burden of power and pressure, has failed the common people. These three young women were subjected to casteist abuse at Kothrud Police Station. Social activists and I sat at the Pune Police Commissionerate till 3 am, but the complaint was not accepted. Still, we forced them to take a written statement. If the system continues to abuse its power, we too will respond with resistance. #Avaaz_Khali. Let the sleeping Home Minister wake up!”

Women’s Commission Seeks Report
In response to the growing public pressure, the Maharashtra State Commission for Women has taken cognizance of the matter. In an official tweet, the commission confirmed receiving a complaint stating that the women were treated “very humiliatingly” and subjected to “casteist remarks” during the police investigation.

The commission has directed the Pune Police Commissioner to submit a detailed report, with clear instructions to “listen to the views of the complainant women and conduct a fair investigation.”

Social Activists Demand Accountability
The protest has received support from prominent social justice voices, including Anjalitai Ambedkar, Sujat Ambedkar, Prashant Jagtap, and several representatives from Dalit, NCP, and Congress groups. For two consecutive days, they have been demanding that the police register an FIR under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Despite sitting outside the Commissioner’s office for hours, protesters allege that the police initially refused to accept their complaint. However, after sustained public pressure and late-night negotiations, the police reportedly agreed to take a written statement.

Questions Over Police Conduct and Systemic Bias
This incident has once again spotlighted allegations of systemic caste-based discrimination within police ranks and the misuse of power during investigations. Legal experts and activists argue that if public institutions fail to act even after clear complaints, the credibility of the justice system is at stake.