Ex-Maharashtra Home Minister Demands Death Penalty for Accused in Pune Girl's Rape-Murder A 4-year-old girl was sexually assaulted and murdered by a 65-year-old man in Bhor tehsil, Pune district, according to police. The accused allegedly lured the child with the promise of food, took her to a shed in a cattle enclosure, and committed the crime. The incident, which occurred on Maharashtra Day, has sparked outrage among local leaders and activists. Ex-Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, demanded the death penalty for the accused, calling the crime "extremely outrageous." He criticized the state government for failing to implement the Shakti Act, a proposed law aimed at strengthening protections for women and girls. Deshmukh, who previously served as home minister during the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, stated that the Shakti Act was approved by his administration but remains pending final approval from the central government. He accused the Centre and Maharashtra’s Devendra Fadnavis-led government of passing the buck on the law’s implementation. "When there is an urgent need for this law in the state, the Centre and the state government are passing the buck to each other instead of implementing it and wasting time," he said. Deshmukh also claimed that the accused may have a history of assaulting young children, questioning how such individuals are allowed to roam freely in society. The Maharashtra legislative council passed the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (Maharashtra Amendment) Bill, 2026, in March, incorporating provisions from the Shakti Bill. The bill includes safeguards for acid attack survivors and stricter penalties for online sexual harassment.#devendra_fadnavis #nationalist_congress_party #ex_maharashtra_home_minister #anil_deshmukh #shakti_act
