Three arrested in Akole dacoity, rape case

The Akole police arrested three persons for their alleged involvement in a dacoity and gang rape case that took place in in Temghirevasti, Veergaon in Akole Taluk in Ahmednagar on Saturday night.

Three arrested in Akole dacoity, rape case

The Akole police arrested three persons for their alleged involvement in a dacoity and gang rape case that took place in in Temghirevasti, Veergaon in Akole Taluk in Ahmednagar on Saturday night. In the incident, two women were gang raped and four elderly were stripped naked by the dacoits, before they fled with cash and gold. The trio was identified as Santosh Pandit, Babusha Hirya Kale and Gorakh Chmaku Bhosale, all residents of Kulgaon, Shrigonda. The Akole police said Pandit, a jeweller, had bought the stolen gold from the dacoits.

All the three were produced in the court yesterday and have been remanded in police custody till July 21.
Residents created a rumpus in the court when Advocate S S Shetye showed readiness to accept vakalatnama on behalf of those arrested in the dacoity case. Ramdas Athawale, president of Republican Party of India, paid a visit to Akole. Athawale demanded that the compensation to the rape victims be raised from Rs 1 lakh to 5 lakh and to those injured be increased to Rs 1 lakh.

Athawale also demanded that the investigation should be handed over to CID. Eknath Khadase, leader of opposition in the state assembly, said the incident showed the law and order situation in the state has become a matter of concern. He said violence against women was increasing.

Cops draw flak
Suresh Khopade, who recently retired from the police as special inspector general of CID, said the police's laidback approach to the dacoity and rape case was a matter of concern. "The police are acting like a fire brigade. The senior officers take two to three days to record statements and follow the necessary procedures.

By then another case of dacoit would have ensued," said Khopade. "The police only react. They fail to implement measures that will deter dacoity. Policemen should forget old procedures and implement new measures." Khopade slammed the Collectorate for not supervising the district police force. Referring to the experiments undertaken when he was the Superintendent of Police for Satara and Karad, he said: "We appealed to the dacoits to surrender. It helped curb anti-social elements."