36-Year-Old Zepto Delivery Agent Goes Missing from Aundh Following Domestic Dispute; Kidnapping Complaint Registered
PUNE: A 36-year-old delivery agent employed with quick-commerce platform Zepto has been reported missing under mysterious circumstances from his residence in Pune’s Aundh area. The Chatushrungi Police have formally registered an FIR against an unknown individual based on a formal complaint filed by his wife.
The missing man has been identified as Bharat Balasaheb Thorat (36), a native of Shrirampur in Ahilyanagar district. Thorat resided in the servant quarters of Bungalow No. 133, Ward No. 7, National Housing Society, Aundh, along with his 34-year-old wife Deepali Thorat and their 14-year-old daughter. Deepali works as domestic help at the residence.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), a domestic dispute broke out between the couple on the night of September 25 over daily household expenses. The argument reportedly flared up again the following morning, September 26. Deepali left for her daily domestic work shortly afterward.
At around 2:30 PM on September 26, the couple’s 14-year-old daughter rushed to her mother’s workplace, alerting her that Thorat was packing his bags and leaving the house. When Deepali phoned her husband, he reportedly said, “I am leaving home, you take care,” before abruptly disconnecting the call and switching off his mobile phone.
After an extensive search at his workplace in Aundh and surrounding localities yielded no leads, Deepali approached the Chatushrungi Police Station on September 30. While Thorat appeared to have left the house following a domestic argument, the police registered a case under Section 137(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) (kidnapping/wrongful confinement) against an unidentified person, in line with established legal protocols regarding missing adults whose safety is in question.
Physical Description of Missing Person:
Name: Bharat Balasaheb Thorat
Age: 36 years
Height: 5 feet 2 inches
Complexion: Sallow / Wheatish
Build: Heavy
Facial Features: Round face, straight nose, short black hair
Clothing Last Seen In: Blue striped full-sleeve shirt and black denim jeans
Languages Spoken: Marathi and Hindi
Probationary Police Sub-Inspector Meenakshi Jamdade of the Chatushrungi Police Station recorded the statement and is currently leading the investigation. Authorities have urged anyone with information regarding Thorat’s whereabouts to contact the Chatushrungi Police Station or the Pune City Police control room.
(Note on POCSO Act query: The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act applies strictly to sexual offences committed against minors under 18 years of age. Because this incident involves an adult missing person following a domestic argument and contains no child abuse or sexual offence elements, the POCSO Act is legally inapplicable to this case.)