After nearly 75 hours of relentless pursuit, the Pune Police arrested Dattatraya Ramdas Gade, the prime suspect in the horrific rape of a 26-year-old woman inside a stationary Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus at the Swargate depot. The arrest, which took place in the early hours of Friday in Shirur Tehsil, Pune district, marks the end of a high-stakes manhunt that involved 13 police teams, drones, a dog squad, and a ₹1 lakh reward for information leading to his capture.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at the bustling Swargate bus station, one of Pune’s largest transport hubs, located just 100 meters from a police station. The victim, a 26-year-old preoperative counselor at a Pune hospital, was waiting to board a bus to her hometown in Phaltan, Satara district, around 5:45 a.m. According to her statement, Gade approached her, posing as a helpful stranger, and convinced her that her bus was parked at another platform. He led her to an unlit Shivshahi AC bus, a luxury service operated by MSRTC, where he allegedly assaulted her before fleeing the scene.
Initially overwhelmed by shock, the woman boarded another bus to Phaltan but returned to Pune later that day to file a complaint at the Swargate police station, prompted by a friend’s insistence. CCTV footage from the depot and surrounding areas quickly helped police identify the suspect as Dattatraya Ramdas Gade, a 37-year-old resident of Gunat village in Shirur Tehsil, with a history of criminal activity. Gade, a known history-sheeter, had been out on bail since 2019 and faced multiple charges, including theft, robbery, and chain-snatching in Pune and neighboring Ahilyanagar district.
The Pune Crime Branch, in collaboration with Pune Rural Police, launched an extensive search operation. Thirteen teams, including eight from the Crime Branch and five from Swargate police station, were deployed across Maharashtra. The investigation utilized advanced tools such as drones and sniffer dogs, focusing on sugarcane fields near Gunat village after intelligence suggested Gade might be hiding there. A ₹1 lakh reward was announced on February 27, encouraging the public to provide tips, with assurances that informants’ identities would remain confidential.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone II) Smartana Patil confirmed the arrest, noting the challenges posed by Gade’s use of a mask during the crime, which initially obscured his identity. “Our team worked tirelessly, relying on CCTV footage and other evidence to track him down,” Patil said. “All that was left was to nab him, and we succeeded.” Gade was apprehended around midnight on February 28, bringing relief to a city shaken by the brazen nature of the crime.
The incident sparked widespread outrage and drew sharp criticism from political leaders and activists. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar condemned the assault as “unfortunate, painful, infuriating, and shameful,” asserting that the accused deserved “nothing but the death penalty.” He directed the Pune Police Commissioner to oversee the investigation personally and ensure swift action. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also monitored the case closely, while State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik ordered a departmental inquiry into security lapses at the Swargate depot, suspending 23 security guards and replacing them with new personnel.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) took suo motu cognizance of the case, demanding a time-bound investigation and comprehensive support for the victim, including medical care and psychological counseling. Opposition leaders, including Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) figures like Supriya Sule, staged protests at the Swargate bus stand, decrying the deteriorating law-and-order situation in Maharashtra and calling for the case to be fast-tracked in court.
Gade, a married father of a young son, lived with his family in Gunat village. His prior criminal record includes a 2024 theft case in Pune, and police sources revealed he once operated as a driver, allegedly robbing passengers at knifepoint. Following his arrest, he was taken into custody and is expected to face charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Authorities continue to investigate, with further details anticipated as the case progresses.
The arrest has brought temporary closure to a case that reignited debates over women’s safety in public spaces. As Pune grapples with the aftermath, officials have vowed to strengthen security measures at transport hubs to prevent such incidents in the future.