No politician should come to our house till killer is hanged: Four-year-old victim’s father

Mumbai: Even as protests continued in Nasrapur in Pune district where a four-year-old girl was raped and killed by a 65-year-old man, the victim's family made it clear that no politician should visit their house until the accused is hanged to death even as the opposition parties demanded the implementation of the Shakti Act. 

The accused, Bhimrao Kambale, has been booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).

On Sunday, the girl’s father said in a video statement: “My family and I have only one request: until our daughter gets justice and the inhuman  is hanged to death, no politician should come to our home to meet us. This is our humble request. Only when that criminal is given the death penalty will we meet politicians or anyone who wishes to meet us. Until then, no politician should come to my house to offer condolences.” 

The family is in Dehu for 'asthi visarjan’.

The incident—which sent ripples across Maharashtra—took place on Friday.

A Judicial Magistrate First Class Court in Pune sent the accused to police custody till May 7 on Saturday.

Given the seriousness of the incident, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the state Home Minister, spoke to the victim’s father twice in two days. 

Responding to the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi regarding the alleged “failure” of the government administrative and police machinery, Fadnavis said, “The opposition never introspects or looks into their own conduct. They fail to acknowledge what transpired during their own tenure. If people involved in 'cash-for-transfers' scandals (during the MVA dispensation under Uddhav Thackeray) attempt to lecture us, it would truly be a laughable matter.”

Pune Rural’s Superintendent of Police Sandip Singh Gill assured that the chargesheet will be filed against the accused within 15 days, and the case will be tried in a fast track court. 

The MVA slammed the Maha Yuti dispensation and Fadnavis. 

“This is not an isolated case. Such incidents are increasing. The government has failed to maintain law and order…On the other hand the Chief Minister is busy campaigning in states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and West Bengal. Who is looking after Maharashtra?,” said Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member and the party’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut, who is a close aide of Thackeray. 

"Can a mother’s grief be addressed with Rs 1,500?” he said in what was a reference to the Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, the cash-benefit  scheme for women in the State. 

“The accused, even though caught, is apparently a repeat offender! Law? Justice? Fear of law?  What was the “system” waiting for? Another incident? Another crime?  Even though the government has promised swift action, only words alone won't suffice. This action must be visible to the public, it must be hard and harsh and it must instill absolute fear of the law for anyone else even thinking of committing such a crime,” said Shiv Sena (UBT) Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray. 

NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar’s confidante and former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh demanded that the Shakti Law must be implemented. “I want to know if fear of law exists,” he asked. 

NCP (SP) Karjat-Jamkhed MLA Rohit Pawar said that the accused has been to jail twice, released on bail twice, and the third time, he committed such an act, torturing and killing the girl. 

“The law here needs to be changed because the current law has many loopholes... Therefore, it is very important to introduce the Shakti Act,” he said. 

“The law and order situation in the state has already been put on hold. It is becoming increasingly clear that women and girls are not safe in the state,” said Maharashtra Congress President Harshavardhan Sapkal, demanding that Fadnavis should resign as the Home Minister.