Maharashtra Women Commission Chairperson Rupali Chakankar on Wednesday conducted a meeting with the senior officials of the Government Railway Police (GRP) of the Pune Division after a minor girl was kidnapped and sexually assaulted by a man recently.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Chakankar said, "A dedicated team has been formed for the investigation. To stop such incidents in the future, certain major steps have been taken.
Chakankar highlighted that in the meeting, she instructed the officials to allow only the passengers to wait at the platforms, not the people who come with them. Additionally, she said that although the manpower of the Damini Squad is limited, they should be more active. We will increase the units of the Damini Squad at railway stations, as the footfall of passengers is higher here," she added.
What was the incident?
A 4-year-old girl was brought by the accused to a secluded place, where he committed the sexual assault. The incident took place on February 17. The accused has been identified as Mahesh Mamal Yadav (25), a resident of Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh.
According to police, the complainant, Kavita Pappu Rathod (30), a resident of Aland-Kelga Khurd in Madhya Pradesh's Khandwa district, arrived at Pune Railway Station on February 16 around 9 pm along with her husband, mother-in-law, three daughters and a son. The family had been working as labourers on the Manmad–Solapur railway section and were returning home.
On February 17 at around 12:30 am, the family was waiting on Platform No. 3 at Pune Railway Station for a train towards Khandwa. As no train was available, they rested on the platform after having food. At about 1:30 am, when the child's father went to the washroom, he noticed that his four-year-old daughter was missing. The family frantically searched before approaching the GRP at around 3 am.
Police immediately began checking CCTV footage, which revealed a man wearing a red T-shirt and shorts leading the child away by holding her hand. As the girl appeared familiar with him, she was seen going without resistance. The complainant identified both the child and the suspect in the footage, stating that the man had earlier interacted with the family and offered assistance.
GRP and RPF teams launched a search operation in and around the station premises, including Budhwar Peth and nearby labour settlements. Based on information received from local workers, police tracked the suspect's movements towards the railway hospital road and later back towards the station.
At approximately 5:30 am, the child's father alerted police that the suspect had brought the girl back near Platform No. 3. Acting swiftly, police personnel stationed at the parcel gate detained the accused at around 6 am.
During interrogation, the accused identified himself as Mahesh Mamal Yadav (25), a resident of Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh. The child was taken into GRP custody and examined by female police personnel. She reportedly stated that the accused, whom she referred to as "Kaka," had lured her with the promise of biscuits, taken her to a dark location and committed inappropriate acts.
Blood stains were found on the child's clothes, and she complained of stomach pain. Both the accused and the victim were sent for medical examination. The preliminary medical report confirmed sexual assault.
Regarding the incident, a case has been registered under Sections 137(2) and 65(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 4 and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The accused has been arrested, and further investigation is underway.
