Pune police continue their search of Dattatraya Ramdas Gade who raped a 26-year-old female passenger inside a parked bus at Swargate bus depot. The horrific crime happened on February 25 right next to Swargate police station where the bus was parked exactly 100 meters away therefore igniting public outcry and demands for justice.
According to reports, while waiting for her hometown bus the young woman encountered Gade who pretended to assist her. The man convinced her to step onto the darkened bus by promising she would reach her destination in that vehicle. After she entered the bus he immediately locked the bus door before attacking and sexually assaulting her. The woman reported the assault to a friend after Gade fled the scene. The friend helped the victim file a police report about the sexual assault.
Accused Remains on the Run
The Pune police immediately started their investigation by reviewing CCTV recordings and interviewing all possible witnesses. The perpetrator has not been found despite the formation of 13 special police teams. Investigators believe Gade is hiding in a sugarcane field close to his hometown of Shirur since he escaped from the crime scene right after carrying out the crime. Police have used multiple search tools including guard dogs and devices and a careful assessment of every piece of evidence to locate the wanted suspect. History shows Gade, age 37, committed various crimes including theft and robbery in addition to chain snatching while he remained free on bail from 2019 until now.
In response to the incident, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar condemned the attack, calling it “shameful” and “unforgivable.” Mr. Pawar demonstrated his backing of death penalty for the perpetrators while directing Pune Police to complete their tasks quickly. A reward amount of Rs 1 lakh will be given to anyone who provides details leading to Gade’s location.
