Duo Hurls Chilli Powder, Abducts 21-Year-Old Woman in Front of Family In Pune; Angry Villagers Block Highway

Pune: A 21-year-old woman was abducted in broad daylight from a busy market area in Bhigwan, triggering protests, a shutdown call, and a large-scale police search operation across the district, officials said.

According to police, the woman had come to the market with her mother and brother around 4 pm when two accused - identified as Zaheer Haroon Sheikh and Ayan Haroon Sheikh - allegedly intercepted them. Investigators said the suspects threw chili powder into the eyes of the woman, her mother, and her brother, assaulted the mother when she resisted, and forcibly took the woman away in a vehicle before fleeing.

A kidnapping case has been registered at Bhigwan Police Station, and multiple teams from Pune Rural Police have been deployed to trace the accused and locate the victim. Surveillance footage from toll plazas and nearby routes is being examined as part of the search operation.

Additional Police Commissioner Ganesh Biradar confirmed the development, stating that the suspects attacked the victims by throwing chili powder into their eyes and then abducted the woman. He added that checkpoints have been set up and teams dispatched across the region to apprehend the accused.

A relative of the abducted woman said, “My niece was kidnapped after chili was thrown into her eyes. My sister was also attacked with chili powder. When the girl refused to let go of her mother’s hand, they beat her with a stick and forcibly put her into a pickup vehicle. We recognized the accused and demand immediate action for her safe recovery".

The incident sparked anger among locals, with villagers gathering outside the police station and staging protests. Demonstrators blocked the Pune–Solapur Highway, causing traffic disruption, and set fire to a roadside pole during the agitation.

The situation has also drawn political attention. MLAs Sangram Jagtap and Gopichand Padalkar announced they would lead a protest march in Bhigwan and address a public gathering, while local groups called for a bandh demanding swift police action and the woman’s safe return.

Police said investigations are ongoing and appealed to residents to remain calm, assuring that all efforts are being made to trace the accused and rescue the victim.

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