A disturbing video of a 30-year-old man attacking his 28-year-old colleague with a cleaver in an office parking lot in Maharashtra’s Pune has gone viral on social media. The video of the incident that occurred on Tuesday, shows the dastardly crime taking place with over two dozen onlookers, none of whom intervened during the attack.
The blurry, one-minute video, which surfaced online on Thursday, shows the attacker calmly wielding the cleaver before his colleague, identified as Shubhada Kodare, collapses to the ground, with blood pooling around her.
Although around 20 people witnessed the attack at the BPO where both the attacker and victim worked, none of them attempted to stop the assault. Some bystanders only subdued the assailant after he discarded the cleaver.
The lack of intervention by those present has sparked widespread outrage over bystander indifference and concerns about workplace safety for women.
Due to the sensitive and graphic nature of the content, hindustantimes.com has chosen not to include the visuals in this report.
Shubhada Kodare was allegedly targeted because she refused to repay money that the attacker, Krishna Satyanarayan Kanojia, had lent to her allegedly under false pretences, The Times of India reported. Shubhada succumbed to her injuries later on Tuesday at a private hospital. Kanojia has been arrested, and the investigation is ongoing.
NCW condemns the attack
The National Commission for Women (NCW) has strongly condemned the murder of the woman in Pune, calling for quick and decisive action against the perpetrator. NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has sent a letter to Maharashtra’s Director General of Police, Rashmi Shukla, urging for an immediate and thorough investigation, according to PTI.
The Commission has instructed the state police to file charges against the accused and submit an Action Taken Report, along with a copy of the FIR, within 48 hours.
What led to the attack?
The investigation revealed that both Shubhada and Kanojia worked as executives in the accounts department of the BPO in Ramwadi, Yerawada, the TOI report quoted Additional Commissioner of Police Manoj Patil as saying.
About a year ago, Shubhada, from Karad in Satara, told Kanojia she needed money to pay for her father’s medical treatment, and he lent her a total of ₹4 lakh.
A few months later, Shubhada informed Kanojia that her father would be undergoing surgery. A few days later, in a gesture of goodwill, Kanojia visited her father, only to discover that he had no health problems.
Following this, Kanojia asked for his money back, but Shubhada became argumentative and filed a non-cognizable offence against him three months ago, Patil explained.
Despite Kanojia repeatedly pursuing her for the repayment, she avoided him and did not respond to his calls. “Enraged, Kanojia came prepared and attacked her,” Patil said.