Pune: A day after a machete-wielding duo attacked and robbed a student on Hanuman Tekdi , both young and old who frequent the hill for jogging and leisure voiced safety concerns . Regular visitors cite poor lighting along the trail and an increasing presence of liquor bottles, making the hill feel unsafe, especially outside the busy early morning and evening hours. The robbery, which took place a few metres from the main road on a popular trail, left many shaken, with calls for more police patrolling .
Businesswoman Gayatri Chaudhri said that she was concerned but added that staying on the trail feels relatively safe. "It's not scary if you stick to the main path, but youngsters often venture into secluded green patches. If you're in a big group, it's fine, but for individuals or pairs, it can be dangerous," she added.
Mornings are safest due to higher footfall, she added. Sidharth Khandagle, a polytechnic student who treks the hills daily, shared his unease. "Nothing's ever happened to me, but the hills feel unsafe after sundown.
Sunday's incident happened in the day near the pagoda, a place always buzzing with people. That makes it scarier—if it had been in a more isolated spot, it would have made some sense, but this was right on the main trail," he said. The hill, on Senapati Bapat Road, is visited by students from nearby colleges—Symbiosis, Fergusson College, BMCC, MMCC, Law College, Polytechnic College and other institutions.
"Hence, this place is an easy target for.