Pune: Man With Criminal Record Rapes Woman Inside MSRTC Bus, Protest Erupts; Police Investigation Underway

💮A 36-year-old man with a criminal record allegedly raped a 26-year-old woman inside a stationary state transport bus at the busy Swargate bus stand in Maharashtra's Pune, police said on Wednesday. Officials associated with the investigation told PTI that multiple teams are looking for the accused who currently is on the run.

ꦦAfter a preliminary investigation, the accused has been identified as 36-year-old Dattatraya Ramdas Gade who has a past record of committing crimes like theft and chain snatching, a Swargate police station official told PTI.

ꩵA case of rape under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered against the accused. Earlier cases were registered against Gade in Shikrapur and Shirur police station limits in Pune district, the DCP said, adding that police have formed eight teams to nab him.

All About The Incident

In her official statement to the police, the woman explained she was waiting for a bus for Phaltan in Satara district at one of the platforms around 5.45 am on Tuesday when a man approached her and engaged her in conversation, calling her 'Didi' (sister).

ꦍThe man reportedly told her that the bus for Satara had arrived at another platform and then took her to an empty 'Shiv Shahi' AC bus parked elsewhere on the sprawling station premises.

ꦑThe woman reportedly hesitated to get in as the lights inside the bus were not on, However, the accused convinced her that it was the right bus. He then followed her inside and raped her before fleeing, the woman told police.

What Did The Police Say?

꧙Police identified the accused Gade from CCTV footage, and multiple teams have been formed to track him down, the official said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Smartana Patil told reporters later that CCTV footage showed the woman walking towards the bus with the accused.

😼The DCP further added that the woman did not approach police immediately after the incident but took a bus for Phaltan and narrated the incident to her friend on the phone while traveling. On her friend's advice, she got down within the city limits, and went to the police station, Patil said.

♊It has been said that the victim's condition was stable and she gave a clear statement to the police.

Protest Erupts Over Rape Case

🍌Protesters led by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Vasant More on Wednesday vandalized the security office at the Swargate bus station in the city after a woman was allegedly raped inside an MSRTC bus on the premises.

ꦯSena (UBT) workers smashed the window panes and furniture inside the security office while women activists shouted slogans against the BJP-led Maharashtra government over the incident.

Opposition Slams BJP-Led Govt

ꦰThe incident drew sharp reactions from Opposition leaders who blamed the Home Department held by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for failing to deal with the rising crime in the Pune region.

🧸NCP (SP) leader and Baramati MP Supriya Sule lashed out at the BJP-led Maharashtra government over the incident. There is a police post nearby and the area is routinely patrolled, she noted.

⛦"Still such an assault takes place at Swargate, which shows that anti-social elements do not have any fear of law. The home department has failed to curb crime in Pune. The trial of this case should be held in a fast-track court and the accused must get a severe punishment," Sule told reporters.

⛄Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal claimed that incidents of rape were on rise in the state. MSRTC buses are Maharashtra's lifeline, and now a rape has taken place inside an MSRTC bus, he said.

꧟"When the Nirbhaya gangrape incident took place in Delhi, people changed the regime. You (BJP-led government) promote Laadki Bahin scheme for women (providing financial aid), but ignore basic issues of the people," he said.

Security Guards Replaced, Inquiry Ordered: Says Minister

ꦍIn view of the development, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik directed that all 23 security guards employed at the Swargate bus station in Pune should be replaced following the alleged rape of a 26-year-old woman inside a stationary bus.

🌺Sarnaik also directed MSRTC managing director Vivek Bhimanwar to conduct a departmental inquiry into the incident and submit a detailed report in seven days, an official statement said.

🅺The bus station in-charge and depot manager should be suspended immediately if found guilty of negligence, the minister said.

✨Sarnaik also called an urgent meeting of senior MSRTC officials in Mumbai on Thursday to review safety measures for women passengers, and some concrete decisions are expected, the release said.