Pune Police Accused of Harassment in Hostel Search

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Three working women in a Kothrud hostel have accused police officers from Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar of harassment during a search linked to a missing person case.

According to the women, police entered their women-only hostel room, used caste-based slurs, and ransacked their personal belongings while searching for the missing woman. The women, all around 23 years of age, said the officers searched their cupboards, leaving their possessions scattered on the floor.

The missing woman, originally from Sambhajinagar, had reportedly left her home after alleging harassment by her husband and in-laws. Her family filed a missing person’s complaint, prompting Sambhajinagar police to trace her movements to Pune. With assistance from the Kothrud police, they visited the hostel in search of her.

Police later located the missing woman at a separate hostel in Mundhwa and took her back to Sambhajinagar. The three women in Kothrud said she had visited them briefly before moving to the Mundhwa facility.

Baramati MP Supriya Sule, reacting to a video clip allegedly related to the incident, posted on X, called for a detailed investigation and strict action if the allegations are confirmed. “The incident is severe if it is true. The home minister should take this matter seriously,” she stated.

Senior Police Inspector Sandip Deshmane of Kothrud Police Station denied any harassment had taken place, stating that his team had only assisted Sambhajinagar police in their inquiry. “The three women were brought to the police station during the investigation of the missing person’s complaint. They were questioned in the women’s assistance cell and allowed to go home afterward,” Deshmane said.

He added that the investigation into the matter is ongoing and no First Information Report (FIR) has been filed so far.

The women maintain that the officers’ conduct was abusive and discriminatory, citing the alleged use of caste-based remarks during the search. They also claim that the search was conducted without proper decorum, leaving them humiliated.

The incident has drawn attention to police procedures in sensitive cases, especially when investigations involve women’s hostels or private accommodations. The outcome of the ongoing inquiry will determine whether formal charges will be brought against any officers involved.

The Sambhajinagar police have yet to release an official statement regarding the allegations.