Police disperse people who blocked the Pune-Bengaluru highway during protest

PUNE: A shutdown brought western Maharashtra’s Bhor-Rajgad belt in Pune district to a halt Sunday as outrage mounted over the rape and murder of a three-year-old girl, with her family refusing to meet politicians until the 65-year-old accused is sentenced to death.Shops remained closed after residents called a bandh to protest the crime in Nasrapur village of Bhor taluka. The accused, a labourer from the village and a father of seven, has been arrested and is alleged to be a repeat offender in child abuse cases.The girl went missing Friday afternoon. Frantic search led family to neighbour’s CCTV that showed the accused leading the child to a cattle shed about 700m away, where her body was found under a heap of cow dung.Tension spread across the district. Protesters tried to block traffic at Khed Shivapur toll plaza before police stepped in. The previous night, demonstrators and the victim’s family blocked Mumbai-Bengaluru highway near Wadgaon bridge for more than four hours, demanding firm assurances from the state govt.In a video message, the child’s father said his family will not meet any politicians until the accused is awarded death penalty. Several politicians visited the family earlier in the day, while minister Madhuri Misal and Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange cancelled their plans following the family’s appeal.Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said public anger was understandable but cautioned against attempts to exploit the situation. He said he had spoken to the victim’s father and given a written assurance that govt would pursue the death penalty. “The case will be tried in a fast-track court and procedures will be expedited,” he said, adding demands for public execution cannot be met. “While everyone wants the accused to be hanged publicly, such things cannot be done in a democratic system as it functions according to the law,” Fadnavis added.Allegations of police lathicharge during Saturday night’s protest drew criticism. “… That should not have happened,” said BJP functionary Medha Kulkarni. Congress state chief Harshwardhan Sapkal accused authorities of trying to suppress voices seeking justice.