Tension gripped Bhigwan in Pune district after a 21-year-old woman was allegedly abducted in Indapur taluka five days before her scheduled wedding, triggering protests by Hindu organisations and prompting heightened police deployment across the area.Police said the woman, a resident of a village in Indapur taluka, was reported missing by her family earlier this week. According to the complaint filed at the local police station, she was allegedly taken away by a man known to her. Officers registered a case of kidnapping under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and launched a search operation.
As news of the alleged abduction spread, members of several Hindu groups gathered in Bhigwan and nearby areas, demanding swift action and the immediate tracing of the woman. Demonstrators blocked parts of the Pune–Solapur highway for a brief period and raised slogans outside the police station, alleging lapses in preventing the incident. Shops in parts of Bhigwan downed shutters amid concerns that the protests could escalate.
Senior police officials moved quickly to contain the situation. Additional forces were deployed from neighbouring police stations, and patrolling was intensified in sensitive pockets. Officers held meetings with community leaders and representatives of the protesting organisations, urging restraint and assuring them that all necessary steps were being taken to locate the woman and apprehend those responsible.
A senior officer from Pune Rural Police said preliminary investigation suggested that the woman and the accused were acquainted, though he declined to comment on the nature of their relationship. “We are examining all angles, including the possibility of coercion. The priority is to trace the woman safely,” the officer said. He added that technical surveillance and teams on the ground were being used to track the accused’s movements.
Family members of the woman told local media that her wedding had been scheduled for later this week and preparations were underway when she went missing. They alleged that she was forcibly taken away and demanded stringent action. Relatives said she had left home on the pretext of running an errand and did not return, after which attempts to contact her phone went unanswered.
Leaders of the protesting organisations alleged that the case involved elements of targeted coercion and called for strict enforcement of existing laws relating to abduction and forced conversion. Police officials, however, cautioned against drawing conclusions before the investigation was complete and appealed to the public not to circulate unverified claims on social media.
District authorities said Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code had not been imposed but warned that any attempt to disturb public order would be dealt with firmly. A senior district official stated that the administration was monitoring the situation closely and that peace committee meetings had been convened to prevent communal tension.
Bhigwan, a town known for its agricultural economy and proximity to the Ujani Dam backwaters, has not witnessed major communal disturbances in recent years. Local traders expressed concern that prolonged unrest could disrupt business and daily life. “We want the girl to be found safely, but we also want peace. Tension affects everyone,” said a shopkeeper in the main market area.
Legal experts noted that in cases where an adult woman leaves with someone of her own volition, the legal position can differ significantly from that of forcible abduction. Under current law, consent and age are key factors in determining the nature of the offence. Investigators are expected to record the woman’s statement before a magistrate if she is traced, which would clarify whether any coercion was involved.
Data from the National Crime Records Bureau show that cases registered under kidnapping and abduction provisions remain significant across several states, often involving disputes over relationships or marriages. Authorities have repeatedly emphasised the need for careful investigation to distinguish between consensual elopement and criminal abduction, given the social sensitivities that such cases can provoke.