A horrific crime took place in Maharashtra’s Pune district, where a 19-year-old girl was allegedly raped and robbed at knifepoint by two men while she was with her cousin, police said on Monday. The incident happened on Saturday in Pune’s Shirur tehsil area when the two cousins sat together at a secluded spot.

According to the police, two men in their late twenties arrived on a motorbike and suddenly attacked them. They threatened the cousins with a knife and forced them to engage in an obscene act while recording it on their mobile phones. The accused then took turns raping the woman.

After committing the crime, they robbed her gold jewellery, including a nose ring and a gold pendant, before fleeing the scene. Senior police inspector Mahadev Waghmode of Ranjangaon police station said the police received the complaint and have started an investigation. Efforts are being made to identify and arrest the accused.

The police are checking CCTV footage and questioning locals to gather clues. Authorities have assured strict action against the accused and urged people to report any suspicious activities in the region.

Still shaken by the incident, the woman managed to call the police helpline number 112 and report the crime, said senior police inspector Mahadev Waghmode. He added that the police acted swiftly and immediately began efforts to arrest the accused.

Waghmode stated that both men were arrested within a few hours based solely on the description provided by the woman. "Responding to the call, our crime team reached the woman and promptly registered an offence. Without any delay, we gathered details of the accused and launched a manhunt. Using human intelligence, both accused were caught within hours," Waghmode told PTI.

He added that the stolen jewellery had been found, and the accused will remain in police custody until Friday, March 7.

This shocking incident happened while the city was already disturbed by another rape case. On February 25, a woman was allegedly raped inside an MSRTC Shivshahi bus at Pune’s Swargate depot. The accused was caught after a search on February 27 and will stay in police custody until March 12.

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