Pune: In a swift and coordinated operation, the Bund Garden Police successfully rescued a one-year-old girl who was allegedly abducted from Pune Railway Station and arrested three accused within just 16 hours of the incident. The prompt action and extensive CCTV surveillance helped police trace the suspects and reunite the child with her family.
The accused have been identified as Drupada Laxman Gaikwad (35), Radha Lucky Adivasi (20), and Lucky Sandip Adivasi (21), all residents of Sundarnagar in Jalna district.
According to police, the complainant, Shivani Amol Bhosale (21), a daily-wage labourer from Malthan in Shirur taluka of Pune district, arrived at Pune Railway Station on May 30, 2026, along with her one-year-old daughter, Lila Amol Bhosale, following a domestic dispute with her husband. Having no relatives or accommodation in Pune, the mother and child spent the night in the open area near the Datt Mandir opposite the railway reservation office.
At around 9:30 pm, Shivani woke up to discover that her daughter was missing. After searching the station premises unsuccessfully, she approached Bund Garden Police Station and lodged a complaint. Based on her complaint, police registered a case under Section 137(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
Recognising the seriousness of the crime, Senior Police Inspector Santosh Pandhare immediately mobilised a special investigation team. Under his supervision, three dedicated teams were formed to trace the missing child. Investigators meticulously reviewed more than 70 CCTV camera recordings from Pune Railway Station and nearby areas over a continuous 12-hour period.
The footage eventually revealed two women and a man carrying the child and boarding the Panvel–Nanded–Panvel train from Platform No. 4. Based on this crucial lead, police dispatched separate teams to Daund and Kurduwadi railway stations.
A team led by Assistant Police Inspector Abhijit Chougule, along with Police Constables Dnyaneshwar Bade and Manoj Bhokare, reached Daund Railway Station. At approximately 2:25 pm on Sunday, the officers located the three suspects within the station premises and interrogated them.
Neelkanth Jagtap, Police Inspector (Crime) of Bund Garden Police Station, speaking to The Free Press Journal, said, "Upon further interrogation, the trio allegedly admitted that they had taken the child from Pune Railway Station and travelled with her." The police immediately took them into custody and arrested them in connection with the kidnapping.
Police said the main woman accused had lost her ability to conceive after suffering an electric shock. According to investigators, she, along with her mother and daughter, had allegedly planned to abduct a child from the railway station.
The rescued child recovered safely and was reunited with her family. Further investigation is underway to determine the complete motive behind the abduction and whether any larger network was involved in the crime.
