Lagatar24 Desk
Pune: The Pune Crime Branch on Friday arrested Dattatray Gade, the prime accused in the Swargate bus depot rape case, from a village in Shirur Tehsil, Pune district. Gade had been on the run since Tuesday, following the shocking assault inside a state-run MSRTC bus.
Accused Tracked Down in Shirur After Days on the Run
The victim, who was waiting for a bus to return home to Phaltan, around 100 km from Pune, was allegedly lured by the accused under the false pretext that her bus was parked elsewhere. Gade led her to an MSRTC Shivsahi bus inside the depot, where he allegedly raped her.
The accused has a history of criminal offenses, including six cases of theft, robbery, and chain-snatching in Pune and Ahilyanagar district. He had been released on bail in 2019 for one such case.
Massive Police Operation to Nab the Accused
A special police task force of thirteen teams was deployed across multiple locations in Maharashtra to track downthe fugitive. A cash reward of ₹1 lakh was also announced for any information leading to his arrest.
On Thursday, police deployed sniffer dogs and drones to scan through sugarcane fields in Shirur Tehsil, where Gade was suspected to be hiding.
Action Against Officials for Security Lapses
Following the incident, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik ordered a departmental inquiry against the assistant traffic superintendent and the Swargate depot manager.
On Thursday, Sarnaik chaired a high-level meeting at Mantralaya with officials from the state-run MSRTC and transport department to review security measures at bus depots.
Additionally, 23 security guards at the Swargate depot were suspended and replaced after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took serious note of the security lapse.
Top Leaders Demand Justice for Victim
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who is also the Pune district guardian minister, directed the Pune Police Commissioner to personally oversee the investigation and ensure swift justice.
Pawar termed the incident “extremely shameful, painful, and infuriating”, stating, “The crime committed by the accused is unforgivable, and there can be no punishment except the death penalty.”
He also reassured that CM Devendra Fadnavis has given clear instructions to the police to take stringent action.
