Pune Rural Police Launch Manhunt for Suspects Who Sexually Assaulted 17-Year-Old Girl at Knifepoint

The Pune Rural police are engaged in an extensive manhunt for two suspects who sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl at knifepoint and robbed three women traveling with her in a car on the Pune-Solapur highway. The incident occurred around 4:15 am on Monday, approximately 10 kilometers from Bhigwan town, where the two masked assailants threw chilli powder at the occupants, threatened to kill them with knives, and stole gold ornaments worth Rs 1.5 lakh. The suspects have been identified as two unidentified men who covered their faces with masks, one of whom dragged the girl away behind a tea stall structure and sexually assaulted her after threatening her with a knife.

Key Takeaways:

• The suspects threw chilli powder at the occupants of the vehicle as an irritant, threatening to kill people.
• The girl who was sexually assaulted was also threatened at knifepoint.
• The Pune Rural police have launched an extensive manhunt for the suspects, with a total of eight teams formed for the probe, comprising close to 75 officers and personnel.
• The investigation revealed that the occupants did raise an alarm as the two suspects targeted them, but passersby on the highway could have assumed something suspicious due to the high speed of vehicles.
• The police have started questioning some criminals on police records from the region to gather more information about the incident.
• The incident occurred around 4:15 am on Monday, approximately 10 kilometers from Bhigwan town.

Statistics:

• Time of incident: 4:15 am on Monday
• Distance from Bhigwan town: 10 kilometers
• Number of teams formed for the probe: 8
• Total personnel working on the case: 74-75 officers and personnel
• Value of stolen gold ornaments: Rs 1.5 lakh

Sources:

• IE Online Media Services Pvt. Ltd. (2025)
• Contify.com