The shocking incident in the heart of the city caused an uproar, with Opposition slammed the BJP-led Maharashtra government over women's safety. The MoS and Deputy CMs have assured that the police will arrest the accused soon.
đThe investigation in the rape of a 26 year-old-woman inside a state transport bus at Swargate depot in Pune has intesified as the Pune Police announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for information leading to the arrest of the accused in the case who is also a history-sheeter.
đšA police official told PTI that as many as 13 police teams are working to track down accused Dattatray Ramdas Gade (37) who is on the run since the incident which took place on early Tuesday morning.
âThe shocking incident in the heart of the city caused an uproar, with Opposition slammed the BJP-led Maharashtra government over women's safety. The MoS and Deputy CMs have assured that the police will arrest the accused soon.
đPune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar told PTI that a reward of Rs 1 lakh will be given to a person providing information about his whereabouts.
đAnother police official said that information about Gade can be provided at numbers 020-24442769 or 9881670659. The informer's name will be kept secret, he added.
ŕ˛The accused, accused Dattatray Ramdas Gade has half a dozen cases of theft, robbery and chain-snatching registered against him in Pune and adjoining Ahilyanagar district, and was out on bail since 2019 in one of the offences.
đźSwargate in Pune city is one of the largest bus depots of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC).
âAccording to the survivor woman, as she was waiting for a bus for Phaltan in Satara district at one of the platforms around 5.45 am on Tuesday, a man approached and engaged her in conversation, calling her `didi' (sister), and said the bus for Satara had arrived at another platform.
đ§¸He took her to an empty `Shiv Shahi' AC bus parked elsewhere on the sprawling station premises.
ęŚAs the lights inside the bus were not on, she hesitated to get in at first, but the man convinced her that it was the right vehicle. He then followed her inside and raped her before fleeing, the woman, who works in the medical field, told police.
đThe National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognizance of the incident and demanded immediate action in the matter. NCW chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has written to the Director General of Police and asked him to submit to the commission an action taken report within three days along with an FIR copy, an official said.
đState Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik directed that all 23 private security guards employed at the bus station be replaced.
đMaharashtra Minister of State Home, Yogesh Ramdas Kadam during a press conference on Thursday stated that misinformation is spread regarding this case that the investigation was started late, he said "there is nothing like that", asserting that the accused will be arrested very soon.
Deputy CM Eknath Shinde assured that the accused will be arrested soon and said, "What happened in really unfortunate and condemnable. The CM (Devendra Fadnavis) is constantly monitoring the situation. (Deputy CM) Ajit Pawar is also taking follow-ups and the accused will soon be arrested."
ę§Deputy CM Ajit Pawar also directed the Pune Police Commissioner to investigate the case thoroughly and arrest the accused at the earliest. Pawar reportedly said, "The incident of rape at the Swargate bus station is extremely unfortunate, painful, infuriating, and shameful to all in civilised society. The crime committed by the accused is unforgivable, and there can be no other punishment for him than death. I have directed the Pune police commissioner to personally look into this matter and arrest the accused immediately."