Manhunt and Arrest
A simple shirt change played a crucial role in tracking down and arresting Dattatray Gade, accused of raping a woman inside a Pune bus. The 75-hour chase ended late last night after police teams, aided by drones and a dog squad, located him near a canal in Pune district.
Gade was traced when he visited a relative’s home at 10:30 pm on Thursday. Realizing the gravity of his crime, he reportedly confessed to his family, saying, “I have made a big mistake, and I have to surrender.” After leaving the house with a water bottle, he discarded his shirt, which was later picked up by police. The dog squad used the garment to track him down to a nearby sugarcane field, where villagers spotted him and alerted authorities. He was swiftly taken into custody and transported to Pune.
A History of Crime
Gade, a 37-year-old from Shirur in Pune district, has a criminal record spanning multiple cases of robbery, theft, and extortion. Since 2019, he had been operating an illegal taxi service, targeting elderly women by offering them rides and then robbing them at knifepoint. His past crimes led to the recovery of 140 grams of stolen gold. Despite serving jail time for robbery in 2020, he was released and remained out on bail while additional cases against him were still pending.
Beyond his criminal activities, Gade had political connections. He worked for a prominent politician during recent elections, and his photos with the leader circulated online. He also unsuccessfully contested a seat in a local village committee.
The Crime
Gade often lurked around the Swargate bus depot, sometimes impersonating a police officer. On Tuesday morning, he approached the 26-year-old victim, who was waiting for a bus to Phaltan in Satara. Addressing her as “didi” (sister), he misled her into boarding an empty Shiv Shahi AC bus, claiming it was the correct one. Once inside, he assaulted her.
Public Outrage and Response
The incident sparked widespread anger across Maharashtra. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde vowed to seek the harshest punishment for Gade, including the death penalty. Shiv Sena MLA Nilesh Rane even called for the revival of police “encounter squads” to deal with repeat offenders.
Pune police had announced a ₹1 lakh reward for information leading to his capture. The case reignited debates on rape laws in India, with former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud referencing the 2012 Nirbhaya case, emphasizing that legal reforms alone cannot prevent such crimes.
Maharashtra’s Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik ordered a security audit of all state bus depots, the removal of unauthorized vehicles from depots by April 15, and the hiring of more female security personnel. He also initiated a departmental inquiry against the Swargate Bus Depot officials for security lapses.
