In a shocking case that emerged from Pune, Maharashtra, a four-year-old girl was allegedly raped and murdered by a 65-year-old farm labourer Bhimrao Khamble on May 1, 2026. The horrific incident occurred in Nasrapur village in Bhor Taluka, where the young girl went missing and was found in a tin shed where she was assaulted by Khamble.

Following the case, a massive protest was held by villagers and the victim’s family near Navale Bridge, causing widespread outrage in the state.

The Pune-Satara highway was blocked for hours as hundreds of people held demonstrations demanding justice for the child and capital punishment for the accused. Several women joined the protest in large numbers. The police later intervened to disperse the crowd and restore order at the site.

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Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reacted to the shocking incident and stated that the case would be taken up in a fast-track court. Calling the incident “highly condemnable” and “tragic”, he stated that “a three- or three-and-a-half-year-old girl was sexually assaulted and murdered by a 65-year-old man. The accused has been arrested. The people are angry following this incident.” He further urged the High Court to appoint a special public prosecutor and stated, “We will demand capital punishment in the court.”

Fadnavis also urged the opposition to handle the matter with sensitivity and refrain from playing politics. “It is insensitive. There is nothing worse than doing politics over such an incident,” said Fadnavis.

The incident unfolded on the evening of Friday, 2 May 2026, when the victim went missing from outside her home. She was reportedly lured away by Khamble at around 3:30 p.m. Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill stated that after the victim’s family reported her missing, they began reviewing the CCTV footage. The footage showed Khamble taking the victim with him.

He continued, “The suspect led us to a tin shed used for cattle, located approximately 700 meters from the girl’s home. We recovered the child and rushed her to the hospital, where she was declared dead.” According to a report by The Times of India, the victim was smothered with a cloth, which resulted in her death. The accused was arrested by the police after CCTV footage was recovered.

Who was Bhimrao Khamble?

The 65-year-old accused, Bhimrao Khamble, lived in the neighbouring village of Nasrapur and had a criminal history. He was first arrested in 1998 for molestation but was later acquitted by the court. Another case was registered against Khamble in 2015 involving another minor, but he was again acquitted by the court in 2019.

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After the incident, various roads were blocked across the state, condemning the crime and protesting to demand capital punishment for the accused.

The police have registered an FIR against Khamble under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 137(2), 103, 64, 74, 140(1), and 140(3). The FIR has been filed by the four-year-old victim’s mother. The case has also been registered under the relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Amid the massive uproar demanding justice for the young victim, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Harshvardhan Sapkal has demanded that Fadnavis tender his resignation as Home Minister. Speaking at a press conference, he said, “The state’s law and order situation has completely crumbled, with the safety of women and young girls increasingly compromised.”

He claimed that the recent Pune rape and murder case is a “stain on Maharashtra’s reputation” and added, “Criminals no longer fear the police. With no dedicated, full-time focus on the Home Ministry, lawlessness prevails.”

The police have produced the accused before a special court in Pune and have sought his custody for further investigation. The court has reportedly sent Khamble to police custody until May 7, 2026, as part of the investigation.

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