Pune, 16 July 2025: A disturbing incident of alleged molestation near Pune Airport Road has reignited concerns over women’s safety and the state of public infrastructure in Lohgaon. A woman, while riding her moped in the early hours of July 13, was reportedly groped by an unidentified man on a motorcycle. The incident occurred between 1:00 AM and 1:15 AM, as she was returning home after visiting a friend.
In her written complaint submitted to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), the woman stated that the attacker approached her on a bike while both vehicles were moving, groped her, and quickly sped away. The stretch of road near the airport corner, where the incident happened, was completely dark due to non-functional streetlights and had no CCTV cameras, making it impossible to identify the culprit.
The complainant shared that she has frequently travelled this route without fear in the past, but the incident has shaken her confidence in the city's safety. She expressed a deep sense of violation and fear, saying the lack of basic civic amenities not only allowed the crime to happen but also stripped her of the chance to seek justice.
She also revealed that when she tried to register a police complaint, officials allegedly refused to file an FIR, citing the absence of any identification details, number plate information, or CCTV footage. She said they told her an FIR could not be filed without concrete evidence. What troubled her even more was being questioned about why she was on the road at that hour, instead of the focus being on the man who committed the act.
In her letter to the PMC, the woman urged the authorities to urgently address the security loopholes in the area. She demanded that proper street lighting be installed on Lohgaon Road, CCTV cameras be placed at critical junctions, and night-time police patrolling be increased to prevent such incidents in the future.