Pune Bus Stand Rape Case: Accused Dattatray Gade Arrested After 75-Hour Manhunt

The Pune Police arrested Dattatray Ramdas Gade on Friday, after an intense 75-hour search. Gade is accused of raping a 26-year-old woman inside a stationary bus at the Swargate bus station on Tuesday.

"Accused Dattatray Ramdas Gade has been formally arrested," said Deputy Commissioner of Police Smarthana Patil.

A Breakthrough in the Search

The breakthrough in locating Gade came on Thursday evening. At around 10:30 PM, Gade arrived at the house of a relative in Gunat village. Upon learning of his arrival, his relatives alerted the police. Gade, before leaving, reportedly confessed to his family, saying, "I have made a big mistake, and I have to surrender."

With Gade’s scent still fresh, the police used a shirt he had changed into to guide their dog squad. The dogs tracked the scent to a sugarcane field near a canal, where Gade had been hiding. Villagers who recognized him notified the authorities, leading to his capture.

The Intense Manhunt

The arrest came after a massive operation involving over 100 police personnel, including drones and dog squads. The police had formed 13 teams to trace Gade’s whereabouts across Pune district and beyond. The search extended to Gade’s village, Gunat, and its surrounding areas, including sugarcane fields.

Once Gade was located in the canal, the police quickly took him into custody. He was then transported to Pune, where he was formally arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Swargate Police Station.

Gade’s Criminal Past

Gade, a 37-year-old man from Shirur in Pune district, has a long history of criminal activities. He is named in at least six registered cases, including theft, robbery, and chain-snatching, across various police stations in Pune and Ahilyanagar districts. In 2019, Gade had taken a loan to buy a car, which he used as an informal taxi on the Pune-Ahilyanagar route. He targeted elderly women, tricking them into accepting lifts before robbing them of their jewelry at isolated locations. Gade’s arrest in 2019 led to the recovery of 140 grams of stolen gold.

In 2020, Gade was convicted of robbery in Karde Ghat, near Shirur, and served a jail sentence of five to six months. Despite his criminal history, he had been out on bail since 2019, and several cases against him remained unresolved.

Details of the Assault

The 26-year-old victim, a woman working in the medical field, was at the Swargate bus station around 5:45 AM on Tuesday, waiting for a bus to Phaltan in Satara district. Gade approached her, addressed her as "didi" (sister), and falsely claimed that her bus was parked at a different platform. He then convinced her to board an empty Shiv Shahi AC bus, assuring her it was the correct vehicle. Once inside, he followed her and allegedly committed the crime.

The incident led to widespread outrage across Maharashtra.

Following the assault, Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed the government’s determination to ensure the maximum possible punishment for Gade, including capital punishment. He said that the state would take strict action against the accused.

Shiv Sena MLA Nilesh Rane suggested the revival of police "encounter squads" to deal with repeat offenders like Gade. In response to growing concerns, Pune Police had earlier announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for any information leading to Gade’s arrest.

Transport Minister Orders Security Audit

In the aftermath of the assault, Maharashtra’s Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik ordered a comprehensive security audit of all bus depots across the state. He also directed that unauthorized buses and vehicles seized by transport authorities be removed from depots by April 15. Sarnaik further called for increased deployment of female security guards at bus stands, noting the increasing number of women passengers.

Additionally, Sarnaik proposed appointing an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer to the vacant position of Chief Security and Vigilance Officer for the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC).​