Residents of Latur rallied on Friday to demand justice for the murder of 22-year-old engineering student Bhagyashree Sude, who hailed from the city.
Sude was allegedly kidnapped by her college friend Fulawale, along with Suresh Indure and Sagar Jadhav, from Viman Nagar area of Pune city on March 30.
According to Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, Sude died within hours of the kidnapping as the accused had taped her mouth and nose. When she resisted, one of them gagged her, leading to her death.
Both Sude and Fulawale were from Latur and attended the same college. The accused demanded a ransom of ₹9 lakh from her family, as they were in debt and sought quick money.
Police intend to seek guidance from Advocate Ujjwal Nikam
Police intend to seek guidance from Advocate Ujjwal Nikam, a special prosecutor in many high-profile cases, to ensure a speedy trial and maximum punishment, Kumar stated.
MLA Dhiraj Deshmukh, representing Latur (Rural), expressed deep concern over the crime and participated in a march seeking justice for Sude.
The march commenced from Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Park (Town Hall) and proceeded towards Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk, passing through Tehsil.
The people of Latur are urging the government to address their demands, including conducting a thorough investigation, expediting the trial in a fast-track court, appointing a special public prosecutor, and ensuring strict punishment for all the accused.
MLA Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar emphasised, "While the government has taken a firm stance on this matter, we remain committed to ensuring severe punishment for all the accused. If justice is not served by the upcoming assembly session, we are prepared to protest outside the legislature on behalf of the people's representatives from the district of Latur."
