Even as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis assured that his government will press to set up a fast track court to conduct the trial in the rape and murder of a three and a half year old girl in Pune district, the Maharashtra Congress held him responsible for the deteriorating law and order situation in the State and demanded his resignation as Home Minister.
Opposition parties however targeted the Fadnavis government, saying the Home Department failed to ensure law and order in the state. MPCC chief Harshavardhan Sapkal said, “The state of law and order in Maharashtra has been completely exposed. It is becoming increasingly evident that women and young girls are not safe. The sexual assault and murder of a young girl in Pune district is a stain on the reputation of Maharashtra. This is a failure of the Home Department, and the police no longer command fear among criminals. Since the state lacks a full-time Home Minister, criminals are roaming free.”
Demanding the resignation of Fadnavis as Home Minister, Sapkal said Fadnavis should listen to his conscience, resign as Home Minister as penance, and appoint a competent, full-time minister for the state.
Sapkal launched a scathing attack on the Mahayuti government, stating that corruption in the Home Department has reached its peak. He cited several incidents — the Santosh Deshmukh case in Beed, the rape at Swargate ST stand, harassment of girls in a Union Minister’s household, sexual assault of schoolgirls in Badlapur, and the rising number of missing women and girls. He remarked that the open trade of drugs has turned the state into “Udta Maharashtra,” and while the younger generation is being pushed into addiction, the Home Minister only makes announcements without solid action.
Baramati MP Supriya Sule said, “A monster assaulted and murdered a four-year-old girl in Pune district. This incident is infuriating, numbing, and a blot on humanity. Our stand is that the accused must receive the harshest possible punishment. I request the Chief Minister to order the Home Department to conduct a speedy investigation. We demand this case be tried in a fast-track court.”
Sule said, “The monster who assaulted the little girl has committed his third crime; how then did he secure bail after the first and second offences? We don’t want assurances anymore; we want action.”
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar said, “The public outrage over the incident is completely justified. When such an incident occurs, people are bound to be angry. MP Supriya Sule has discussed this with the SP (Superintendent of Police), and I also spoke with the SP. This criminal had been caught twice before in similar incidents but was released on bail. How did he find the courage to commit a third offence? If he is going to come out on bail again tomorrow, then what is the use of this law? This is the sentiment of the local people. After the police explained the situation, the people agreed to cooperate.”
Rohit Pawar said, “There is a 1983 Supreme Court judgment where the government demanded capital punishment—that the criminal must die. Similarly, in this case, the perpetrator could receive the death penalty in the coming days. The people also have another demand: the girl’s mother should receive financial assistance from the government, and she should be provided with a government job.”
Stating that there are 24 atrocities happening in Maharashtra every day, Rohit Pawar said, “I understand that the Chief Minister has accepted the demand for a fast-track court. The SP stated that a chargesheet will be filed within fifteen days and the accused will be punished. On Tuesday, some locals will meet the Chief Minister. In this state, a 16-year-old minor was assaulted in Beed in April 2026. The Badlapur incident happened in January 2026. In April 2026, a ten-year-old girl was sexually exploited in Baramati. There are 24 atrocities happening in the state every day — that is one incident every hour. Every year, 50,000 crimes involving atrocities against women are occurring in Maharashtra. Law and order no longer exist in Maharashtra. Have criminals lost their fear of the law?” he said.
The MLA said during the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, the “Shakti Act” was introduced based on public demand. “After it was passed, it was sent to the Central Government. However, the Center sent it back to Maharashtra. We understand they didn’t find the name appropriate or the numbering correct. Our government had proposed strict actions in that law, including a verdict within 21 days and harsh provisions regarding online crimes. But the Central Government expressed doubt whether a proper investigation could actually be conducted under such strict timelines. Thus, the law returned to Maharashtra. The Shakti Act must be implemented in Maharashtra first. For this, a special session should be held in the coming days,” he demanded.
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sushma Andhare said, “The inhuman, demonic act of assaulting and brutally murdering a four-year-old girl in Pune leaves one speechless. It is a situation where words fail and one questions if humanity even exists anymore. What can we expect from the state’s Home Minister? Is the situation even worthy of expectation? While everyone is busy blowing their own trumpet, advertising themselves, and trying to prove how powerful they are, the life of the common man has become extremely difficult. A four-year-old child is not safe. We aren’t even asking for the Home Minister’s resignation, nor should we, because we know it makes no difference to him; he doesn’t care. No matter what happens, the Home Minister will not resign. Far from that, he will do nothing beyond giving grand speeches and saying ‘we will get to the root of the matter.’ Those who have suffered the pain know that we are living in an unsafe state; we must be aware of this.”
Rohini Khadse, state women’s president of the NCP (SP) demanded that if the government is incapable, they should hand the accused over to the villagers.
“A deeply infuriating incident has occurred in Pune district. A a 65-year-old man took a little girl playing in front of her house to a cattle shed, sexually assaulted her, brutally ended her life by crushing her with a stone, and then hid her body under a heap of dung. I request the Chief Minister to ensure that this monster receives nothing less than the death penalty. If the government cannot do it, hand him over to the villagers.”
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is learnt to have urged the agriculture department to issue regular alerts warning farmers against hasty sowing. (File Photo) 
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