Pune Police arrested 37-year-old Dattatray Ramdas Gade on Thursday from Gunat village in Shirur after conducting a 75-hour search operation. Gade is suspected of forcibly attacking and sexually assaulting a 26-year-old woman at Swargate bus depot in Pune where he worked as a bus driver, which prompted extensive public anger.
The assault occurred on a Tuesday at 5:45 am when the victim, who worked as a medical professional, waited at the bus stop heading to Satara. Gade misled her by informing her that her transportation had relocated to an alternate boarding point. The attacker escorted the woman into a Shiv Shahi AC bus which had no passengers and was darkened from inside. He entered the bus after her and committed the assault.
Accused, Dattatray Gade, Arrested in Shirur After Intense Search
The woman immediately filed a complaint about the crime, which led to the police conducting a swift response. A comprehensive search operation unfolded during the following days when police deployed 13 teams with drones and dog squads. The investigation confirmed that Gade had escaped to his family’s home in Shirur where he was observed at night. The police learned about Gade’s location after he stopped by his relative’s house, which led to his arrest while he was in the sugarcane fields. The villagers spotted him around a canal, which led police to his location for identification purposes.
Gade was on bail from 2019 because of his criminal record which includes multiple crimes of theft alongside robbery and chain-snatching offenses. Police issued a reward of Rs 1 lakh to locate him.
Maharashtra Transport Minister Orders Statewide Security at Bus Depots
The public demanded stricter criminal punishments after this incident occurred. Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik from Maharashtra ordered state-wide security checks of bus stations while suggesting more security protocols by adding female security staff to bus stops.
The police are keeping Gade in custody while they prepare various charges concerning both his sexual assault crime and past criminal behaviour. The responsible authorities are continuing to investigate this case.
