Pune, India – After a 70-hour, multi-pronged search operation, law enforcement officials have apprehended Dattatray Ramdas Gade, the individual accused of the aggravated sexual assault of a 26-year-old woman at the Swargate bus stand in Pune. The arrest was executed by a Crime Branch team in a village within the Shirur district.
The incident, which occurred on Tuesday at approximately 5:30 AM, involved the suspect misleading the victim onto an unoccupied state transport bus under the pretense of directing her to her intended conveyance. The assault reportedly took place within the parked vehicle, situated in close proximity to the central bus terminal and less than 100 meters from a local police station.
The gravity of the crime triggered widespread public outcry and prompted immediate action from government and law enforcement agencies. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis mandated the rapid apprehension of the accused.
In response, the Pune Police Department deployed a comprehensive search strategy, establishing 13 investigative teams. The operation included extensive ground searches, aerial surveillance utilizing drones, and canine units in the Shirur taluka, particularly in the suspect’s native village of Gunat. Over 100 personnel, including senior officers, participated in the operation. Additionally, security measures were heightened at key transit points within Pune, including bus terminals and railway stations. A reward of INR 100,000 was offered for information leading to the suspect's capture.
Dattatray Ramdas Gade, 37, a resident of Gunat village, is known to law enforcement, with a history of criminal offenses including theft, robbery, and chain-snatching across Pune and the Ahilyanagar districts.
According to the victim's account, the suspect engaged her in conversation, posing as a bus conductor, and convinced her to board a vacant "Shiv Shahi" AC bus. The victim reported that the suspect's deception facilitated the assault. While Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) officials indicated the suspect claimed to be a conductor, this detail has not been officially corroborated by police investigators.
Authorities were alerted to the incident at approximately 10:00 AM. The investigation remains ongoing.
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