Pune: CCTV footage from a sweet shop played a crucial role in solving the rape and murder of a minor girl in Pune's Nasrapur after a power outage disabled the Gram Panchayat's surveillance cameras, the victim's father has revealed.
The disclosure comes days after a court sentenced convict Bhimrao Kamble to death for the crime. Speaking to the YouTube channel Postman Official, the victim's father explained how investigators pieced together the case using CCTV footage and witness statements.
Accused Had Been Watching The Girl…
According to him, the accused had been watching the girl for at least two days before the crime. During her summer vacation, the child had gone to stay at her maternal uncle's house in Nasrapur. Kamble was working nearby, transporting bricks for a temple construction site.
"The police did not examine only the footage from the day of the incident. They also checked recordings from the previous two to three days. It clearly showed that he had been keeping a close watch on my daughter. He knew when she came out, where she went and who she played with," the victim's father said.
Scheduled Power Outage…
He alleged that the accused took advantage of a scheduled power outage in the village. Since the Gram Panchayat's CCTV cameras were not functioning without electricity, Kamble allegedly believed there would be no evidence against him.
The father said the victim had become eager to visit a newborn calf after her grandmother had shown it to her a day earlier. At around 3.12 pm on the day of the incident, the girl stepped out of the house. The accused, who was waiting nearby, allegedly told her he would show her the calf. Trusting him like an elderly acquaintance, the child went with him.
"The CCTV footage shows her happily walking with him. She never imagined what was about to happen," the father said.
Inverter Kept The Camera On…
He said the investigation took a crucial turn because a nearby sweet shop had switched on its inverter after receiving a large order for jalebis. Although the village was without electricity, the inverter powered the shop's CCTV cameras, which captured the accused taking the girl towards the cowshed.
"If that CCTV camera had not been working, it would have been extremely difficult to catch him," the victim's father said.
He further claimed that the accused had planned to dispose of evidence after dark and escape from the village. When the girl did not return home, her grandmother began searching for her at around 3.40 pm. A neighbour alerted the police, who, along with villagers, immediately started checking available CCTV footage.
Case Cracked…
The footage allegedly showed Kamble leading the child towards the cowshed. According to the father, the accused also joined villagers in searching for the girl in an attempt to avoid suspicion.
The case was cracked after investigators examined multiple CCTV recordings, collected witness statements and reconstructed the accused's movements before and after the crime. The evidence eventually led to his arrest and conviction.
