Pune Kondhwa Case: A 22-year-old woman was allegedly raped in her upscale Kondhwa apartment in Pune on Wednesday evening by a man posing as a delivery executive. The attacker entered her flat around 7:30 pm, claiming he needed a signature for a courier, then locked the door and assaulted her, police said.
Investigators believe the man sprayed a substance (possibly to sedate the victim) before carrying out the assault. What’s more surprising is that he took a selfie on the woman’s phone and left a threatening message before fleeing. The image and message remain on her device. Ten police teams are now working to track down the suspect.
Pune Kondhwa Rape: Fake Delivery Boy’s Modus And Evidence
According to police, the accused introduced himself as a courier executive delivering a bank letter. When the woman said she didn’t have a pen, he claimed he didn’t either. As she went to fetch one from the bedroom, he locked the main door from inside and allegedly raped her. DCP Rajkumar Shinde told reporters there is “a possibility that the accused used some kind of spray to try and render the survivor unconscious.”
In a disturbing twist, the assailant snapped a selfie on the woman’s phone and reportedly sent a threatening note. Shinde said, “The woman does not remember anything (further) as she gained consciousness around 8:30 pm. The woman then informed her relatives and subsequently police were alerted."
A formal FIR has been registered under sections 64 (punishment for rape), 77 (voyeurism), and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Forensic teams are combing the flat, and CCTV footage from the society and surrounding areas is being reviewed.
Surge In Pune’s Rape Cases Raises Safety Alarms
This Kondhwa incident adds to a troubling list of sexual assault cases in Pune. Just days ago, a minor was attacked during a pilgrimage in the Daund area. Another recent case saw a family targeted at a highway tea stop, where a minor was also raped. Earlier this year, a woman was raped inside a city bus at Swargate, nearly outside a police station.
The women’s panel has noted “rising rape & molestation cases,” calling Pune increasingly unsafe. Police data shows a significant rise in rape and molestation cases in the city over the past year, with activists blaming both increased reporting and a lack of deterrence for offenders