9-Year-Old Girl Lured With Guava, Raped And Murdered In Pune; Neighbour Arrested

A 9-year-old girl in Pune's Junnar was allegedly raped and murdered by a neighbour, who was later arrested after CCTV footage and police questioning.

A shocking incident has been reported from Junnar in Pune, Maharashtra, where a 9-year-old girl was allegedly raped and murdered on 18 August 2026. The accused, 25-year-old Sahil Khaire, has been arrested by the police.

According to police, the girl was a Class 4 student from a farm labourer's family. She had stayed home from school that day because she was unwell. Khaire, who lived in the same neighbourhood and was known to the family, allegedly came to her house when her parents were away at work.

The girl was watching television with another child when the accused allegedly lured her away by saying they would eat guavas. He then took her to a farm about 1.5 kilometres from the village and further into a sugarcane field.

Police say Khaire allegedly raped the girl and then strangled her to death.

When the girl did not return home by evening, her family, relatives and villagers began searching for her. The accused also reportedly joined the search. After she could not be found, the family informed the police at around 6 p.m., and a kidnapping case was registered.

During the investigation, police checked CCTV footage, which showed the girl travelling on a bicycle with a man. When questioned, Khaire admitted that he was the person seen in the footage. Police detained him, and during interrogation, he allegedly confessed to the crime.

Based on the information provided by him, police recovered the girl's body from the sugarcane field near a tree and a stream. A post-mortem examination has been conducted, and forensic teams have collected evidence from the crime scene.

The incident has sparked anger across the region. The girl's family and local villagers have demanded strict punishment, with many calling for a fast-track court and the death penalty for the accused.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar called the incident "extremely shocking and unfortunate" and said she would request Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to ensure the case is heard in a fast-track court so that justice is delivered quickly.