Pune: Police Ban Protests At Navale Bridge After Traffic Chaos Linked To Nasrapur Minor Rape Case Agitation

Pune: The Pune city police have banned protests at the Navale Bridge stretch on the Mumbai–Bengaluru bypass after a recent agitation over the Nasrapur minor rape case caused severe traffic disruption. The order was issued by Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar to prevent inconvenience to commuters and ensure smooth movement on this busy route.

The decision follows a protest held on May 2 near Navale Bridge, where citizens gathered demanding strict punishment for the accused in the case involving the sexual assault of a minor girl by a 65-year-old man in Nasrapur. Protesters blocked the road for nearly four hours, bringing traffic to a complete standstill.

Due to the blockade, traffic towards Mumbai and Satara was heavily affected. Long queues of vehicles formed on both sides of the highway, with the jam reportedly stretching up to 15 kilometres. Ambulances, private vehicles, and goods carriers remained stuck for several hours, causing major inconvenience.

Several commuters and local residents contacted the police control room to report the situation. Following the incident, Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar visited the spot and held discussions with the protesters to ease tensions and restore normal traffic flow.

Police officials said the restriction on protests at the Navale Bridge has been imposed to maintain traffic movement and ensure public safety on this key bypass route.