Child rape-murder SIT formed victim's father asks politicians not to visit his house in Pune district

Pune, May 3 (PTI) A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in Pune district of Maharashtra amid massive outrage over the brutal crime.
    "An SIT comprising six police officers, including two women, has been set up. We will add more officers and personnel depending on the course of the investigation. The team will thoroughly probe the case," a police officer said on Sunday.
    A 65-year-old man with a criminal record has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting and murdering a four-year-old girl in a village in Bhor tehsil of Pune district.
    He allegedly lured the girl with the promise of food on Friday, took her to a cattle enclosure where he allegedly sexually assaulted her and later killed her by hitting her with a stone, according to the police.
    The accused was remanded to police custody till May 7.
    The crime has sparked massive outrage and protests, raising calls for capital punishment for the accused.
    Several political leaders cutting across party lines, including NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, Shiv Sena leader and Legislative Council Deputy Chairperson Neelam Gorhe, and BJP Rajya Sabha member Medha Kulkarni, visited the victim's residence to offer condolences.
    The girl's father, meanwhile, appealed to political leaders not to visit him until the accused is "hanged till death."
    "By the time I came to immerse the ashes of my daughter in Dehu village, I received calls from my family members that multiple politicians were coming to our residence to offer condolences. I appeal to all politicians that until my daughter receives true justice, until that accused is hanged, please do not visit my house. It's a humble request," he said in a video message.
    We will meet with politicians, or anyone else who wishes to meet us, only after the accused is hanged, he added.
    Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis assured that the government will push for a death penalty for the accused in the Pune child rape-murder case, asserting that the state will fast-track the trial to ensure justice in "record time".
    A day earlier, hundreds of people blocked the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway in Pune, disrupting traffic on the busy route for about four hours.
    The girl's family members and other demonstrators placed the body on the road in the Navale Bridge area on Saturday evening and demanded stringent punishment for the 65-year-old accused.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)