Pune:
In a shocking incident, a 22-year-old stalker carrying a gun accosted a 21-year-old woman, fired in the air and also tried to kill her after she spurned his advances near Alephata town in Maharashtra’s Pune district, police said on Monday.
The video of the incident has gone viral on social media.
The accused, identified as Akashy Dandwate, was arrested within hours of the incident which occurred on Sunday evening in Alephata, located 95 kms away from Pune.
The accused knew the woman since they had studied in the same college at Manchar in the district.
According to police, he has been harassing the woman since their college days.
The woman is currently preparing for a competitive examination for recruitment in the state police force.
The incident occurred when the woman was riding a two-wheeler to her home along with her female friend after attending the coaching class, a police officer said.
“When she reached at an intersection near Alephata, Dandwate stopped them and said he wanted to talk to the woman,” said the officer attached to Narayangaon police station.
“When the complainant refused to speak to him and tried to reach to her mother on her mobile phone, the accused threatened to kill himself as well as the woman. He then whipped out a country-made gun from his jacket and fired in the sky and also at the ground,” he said.
The accused then put the gun to the head of the woman and pulled the trigger repeatedly, but fortunately the gun malfunctioned, the officer said.
“Meanwhile, the woman’s brother-in-law reached the spot and tried to speak to the accused while people also started gathering. Seeing the crowd, the accused panicked and fled,” he said.
He was arrested on Sunday night and was booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act.
