Law & Order Crisis In Pune: NCP-SP Demands CM Devendra Fadnavis's Resignation - PHOTOS

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction) staged an aggressive protest on Wednesday at Abhinav Kala Mahavidyalaya Chowk against the deteriorating law and order situation and rise in criminal activities in Pune. The party workers alleged that the BJP-led government has failed to maintain law and order in the city.

Prashant Jagtap, City President of NCP-SP, speaking to The Free Press Journal, said, "In recent months, Pune has witnessed a surge in daylight murders, shootings, gang wars, armed robberies, and violent attacks, creating an atmosphere of fear among residents. Citizens are now stepping out of their homes with fear, without the guarantee of returning home safely. The recent brutal murder of a youth in broad daylight on Bajirao Road has further intensified public anger."

"Despite the worsening situation, Maharashtra Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who often calls himself the architect of Pune, has been busy campaigning for his party in Bihar. He should resign immediately or devote his full time to maintaining the state's internal security," he added.

Through this protest, the party demanded immediate government action to restore law and order and urged the media to highlight the growing insecurity faced by the people of Pune.

Meanwhile, a resident, Prakash More, said, "I have been living in the city for the last 40 years, and it was a very friendly city. Criminal activity was not there, but now one murder is fixed in a week. The youths below 18 years are more involved in criminal activity. The administration needs to maintain law and order. Otherwise, Pune will lose what it is known for."

Earlier on Monday, NCP-SP Working President Supriya Sule took to X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, "The law and order situation in Pune is very serious. Two murders have taken place in the last three days. While the murder incident in Kondhwa was fresh, a youth was murdered in the central area of Pune on Bajirao Road. Due to these incidents, the common citizen is living under the shadow of fear. The Home Department needs to take effective measures to check the increasing crime in Pune city. I request the Home Minister of the state to please take strict action to check the increasing crime in the city."

AAP spokesperson Mukund Kirdat also commented on the issue. He said, "What is going on in Pune? Where are the leaders who declare themselves to be the architects of Pune and consider themselves Chanakya? Is Pune, which used to be a peaceful city, a cultured city, a home of education, now becoming a home for koyata gangs and various gangs, as well as petty thieves and criminals? Have the police in Pune become completely helpless in the face of the terror of these dadas? Where are our current and former guardian ministers who call themselves dadas? Punekars are agitated. The triple engine of the Mahayuti government is responsible for this city becoming a crime city. Therefore, the guardian minister should take immediate action and answer the Punekars."