Dattatraya Ramdas Gade, accused of raping a 26-year-old woman in a bus at Pune’s Swargate bus station, was arrested after a 75-hour manhunt. The incident occurred around 5:45 AM while the victim waited for a bus to Satara. Gade lured her into an empty bus, claiming it was the correct one, and then assaulted her. He had been evading capture and is also linked to multiple criminal cases, including theft and robbery. A significant police operation, including 13 teams and the use of sniffer dogs and drones, was launched, with a reward offered for information leading to his arrest.
Pune:
Dattatraya Ramdas Gade, the individual accused of allegedly raping a 26-year-old woman inside a bus at Pune’s Swargate bus station, was apprehended on Friday.
Gade was captured in Shrirur Tehsil following nearly 75 hours of a extensive manhunt.
The assault occurred on Tuesday morning, a mere 100 metres from a police station, within a bus at the Swargate Bus Stand, one of the largest depots of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). The incident transpired between 5:45 am and 6 am while the victim awaited a bus to her hometown in the Satara district.
According to the survivor, the accused initiated a conversation, referring to her as ‘didi’ (sister). He misleadingly informed her that the bus to Satara was located at another platform and led her to an empty bus (Shiv Shahi AC bus) parked on the site. Despite her hesitation due to the lack of interior lighting, he persuaded her it was the correct vehicle, as reported by the victim, who is employed in the medical field.
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Once she entered the bus, Gade followed her and committed the assault.
Since then, Gade had been evading capture.
Sources informed NDTV that the suspect had impersonated a police officer for several months. The 37-year-old, residing in Gunat village near Pune, is also implicated in multiple cases of theft, robbery, and chain snatching across Pune and Ahilyanagar districts. He has been on bail since 2019 for one of these offenses.
How the accused was arrested
A total of 13 police teams were deployed across various locations in Maharashtra to apprehend the accused. Sniffer dogs and drones were utilized as part of the search effort. The Pune City and Pune Rural Police initiated a search operation in Gunat village, including in sugarcane fields.
The Pune police had previously announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for information regarding the accused’s location. Another police official stated that tips could be relayed at 020-24442769 or 9881670659, ensuring that the identity of the informant would remain confidential.