India, May 3 -- Massive public outrage gripped Nasrapur village in Bhor taluka on Friday following the brutal assault and murder of a three-and-a-half-year-old girl, with protests intensifying on Saturday and spilling onto the Pune-Satara highway. The protest, which began as a peaceful sit-in, turned tense when demonstrators attempted to block the busy highway, leading to major traffic disruptions.

The incident occurred on Friday when the state was celebrating Maharashtra Day. Around 3pm to 3.30pm, the accused allegedly lured the child, playing near her grandparents' house, to a nearby cattle shed under the pretext of showing her a calf, where he sexually assaulted her and killed her.

At around 5.50pm, when the victim went missing, her ...