Pune, Maharashtra – In a major breakthrough, the prime suspect in the recent rape incident inside a parked bus at the Swargate bus station in Pune has been arrested by Pune police. Dattatray Ramdas Gade, 37, was located after a 75-hour manhunt, which culminated when he came into a local household in search of food and water, inadvertently revealing his whereabouts to the police.
Early on February 25, 2025, a 26-year-old woman was apparently raped inside an MSRTC Shivshahi bus inside a parked class at the busy Swargate bus station in Pune. According to reports, the woman had taken refuge in the bus the previous night, when the dastardly act happened. The incident sent tremors across the community and put law enforcement agencies into immediate action.
Manhunt and Arrest
After the crime, Gade fled the scene. Subsequently, Pune police launched a full-scale search operation to locate him. The manhunt consisted of several police teams, drone surveillance, and sniffer dogs, all concerned with the Shirur Tehsil area, Goade’s native place. In spite of the painstaking search effort, Gade managed to avoid being traced for several days.
His luck changed when, hungry and thirsty, Gade approached the house of a family in Gunat village asking for food and water. Recognizing him from the photos circulated, the family promptly alerted the police. Acting on this, Gade was traced to a paddy field, where he was arrested on February 28, 2025.
Suicide Attempt
Upon his hearing, medical examinations reportedly showed a ligature mark around Gade’s neck that suggested he might have attempted suicide. “So far as the initial medical report goes, there was a ligature mark visible on the accused. We assume that it was a suicide attempt. We are awaiting the final report,” said Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar. That development is reflected in the psychological state of Gade as he was evading capture.
The legal process
Gade was brought before a local court after his arrest, which has remanded him in police custody for 12 days. This would provide time for case details to be comprehensively analyzed, so more evidence can be gathered, along with checks on the events leading to and after the crime has occurred. The police also examine Gade’s previous criminal record to determine if there is any connection or relevance of previous offenses with this case.
Public and Political Reactions
Outrage and debates about women’s safety in public places have arisen from the incident. Leaders and workers of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) held protests at Swargate bus depot, condemning the incident with a call for strict action against the accused. They pointed out that better security measures should be undertaken to avert such incidents in the future.
In the wake of the public’s demands, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has assured that the government shall take all possible measures for delivery of justice to the rape victim and bettering safety conditions in the public transport system across the state. “Such incidents are blotches in society. We will ensure that the culprits will be punished swiftly and will review safety measures so that such incidents are prevented,” he said.
The arrest of Dattatray Ramdas Gade is a key development in a quest for justice for the victim of the Pune bus rape case. Although his arrest provides some relief to the family, it brings to the fore the urgent need to set in place public protection measures for such vulnerable groups.
The incident, as the judicial system goes about its work, serves as a harsh reminder of the enormity of work yet to be done to ensure safety and justice for all.
