Daijiworld Media Network- Pune
Pune, Feb 28: The Pune Police have detained Dattatraya Gade, the prime accused in the rape of a 26-year-old woman inside a stationary MSRTC Shiv Shahi bus at Swargate bus station. The accused was nabbed from Shirur tehsil around midnight, following an intensive manhunt.
Gade, a 37-year-old resident of Gunat village, has a criminal history with multiple cases of theft, robbery, and chain-snatching registered against him in Pune and Ahilyanagar districts. He had been out on bail since 2019 in one of these cases.
After evading arrest for two days, Pune police deployed 13 teams, along with drones and a dog squad, to track him down. The law enforcement authorities had also announced a monetary reward of Rs 1 lakh for information leading to his arrest.
The incident took place early Tuesday morning at Swargate bus station, one of Maharashtra’s busiest bus depots. The survivor, who works in the medical field, was waiting for a bus to Phaltan (Satara district) around 5:45 a.m., when Gade approached her.
Calling her "Didi" (sister), he tricked her into believing that the correct bus was parked elsewhere. He then led her to an unoccupied Shiv Shahi AC bus, where he sexually assaulted her.
Condemning the incident, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stated that the government would push for capital punishment for the accused. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MLA Nilesh Rane suggested reviving the "encounter squad" to curb such crimes.
Following the incident, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik has directed an immediate security audit of all bus stands and depots across the state. He also ordered the removal of unregistered and seized vehicles from these premises by April 15.
Highlighting the rising number of female passengers, the Minister emphasized the need for more women security guards at bus stations to ensure their safety and protection.
With Gade now in police custody, authorities continue their investigation into the case, even as demands for stricter action and improved security measures grow louder.