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On Thursday, Pune Police declared a ₹1 lakh reward for any information leading to the arrest of 37-year-old Dattatray Gade, who is accused of raping a 26-year-old woman near the Swargate bus depot.

To intensify the search, authorities have assembled 13 teams to locate the accused. This includes eight teams from the Crime Branch and five from Swargate Police Station, all actively working on the case. Additionally, the police have released Gade’s photograph to aid in his identification and capture.

The Crime at Swargate Bus Station

The horrific incident took place early Tuesday morning when the woman, who was waiting for a bus, was lured into an empty ST bus by the accused. Once inside, Gade locked the doors and raped her before escaping.

The victim immediately reported the crime at Swargate Police Station, leading to a massive police hunt for the accused.

The 48-Hour Manhunt

Pune Police launched a city-wide search for Gade, a history sheeter with multiple criminal records. He initially fled to a relative’s house in Shirur and confessed that he had “made a mistake” and wanted to surrender. However, instead of turning himself in, he went absconding again.

His relative later informed the police about his whereabouts. Acting on this tip-off, police intensified their search in Shirur tehsil, using drones, sniffer dogs, and a ground search team. Finally, around midnight, Gade was found hiding in a paddy field and was immediately taken into custody.

Arrest and Suicide Attempt Suspicion

When police arrested Gade, they noticed a ligature mark on his neck, suggesting he may have attempted suicide. A senior police officer confirmed, “Gade was brought to Pune by 2 am. He was sent for a medical examination and formally arrested. The accused will be produced in court later in the day.”


How Police Tracked Him Down

Even though Gade had turned off his mobile phone to avoid detection, police tracked him by speaking to villagers.

One resident informed police that a man had visited their house for water. Officers immediately rushed to the location, but Gade managed to flee again. Later, another family confirmed that he had requested food. Acting swiftly on these leads, police narrowed down his location and finally arrested him.

What’s Next?

Gade has now been taken into police custody, and investigations are ongoing. The police have assured that they will seek the strictest punishment for him.

Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar told reporters, “According to the primary medical report, a ligature mark was found on the accused. It is suspected that he attempted suicide. We are waiting for the final report.”

This case has raised serious concerns about public transport safety. Authorities are now under pressure to increase security measures at bus stations to prevent such incidents from occurring again.

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