A dramatic manhunt in Pune, India, culminated in the arrest of 37-year-old Dattatray Ramdas Gade, a man accused of raping a 26-year-old woman inside a parked state transport bus at the Swargate depot. The three-day search operation, which combined cutting-edge technology, traditional police work, and community assistance, showcased a remarkable blend of modern tools and human determination. Here’s how the events unfolded and how technology played a pivotal role in bringing the fugitive to justice.
The Crime and the Escape
The incident occurred on Tuesday morning, February 25, 2025, when Gade allegedly sexually assaulted the woman, a health sector worker, inside an empty bus at the Swargate depot in Pune city. A known criminal with a history of theft, robbery, and chain-snatching cases across Pune and Ahilyanagar districts, Gade had been out on bail since 2019. Following the assault, he fled the scene, switching off his mobile phone to evade tracking and retreating to his native Gunat village under Shirur tehsil, approximately 70 kilometers from Pune.
Launching the Manhunt
The Pune police responded swiftly, launching a massive search operation that involved 13 specialized teams, sniffer dogs, drones, and human intelligence. The scale of the effort reflected the gravity of the crime, which sparked public outrage. Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar oversaw the operation, while Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the home portfolio, later praised the innovative use of technology in the pursuit.
Technology Takes the Lead
With Gade’s phone powered off, traditional mobile tracking was impossible. The police turned to drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras, a game-changing tool in the search. These drones provided aerial surveillance over the dense agricultural fields near Gunat village, where Gade was suspected to be hiding. The thermal imaging allowed officers to detect heat signatures in the dark, piercing through the cover of sugarcane crops and other vegetation.
By Thursday night, February 27, the drones captured critical aerial footage, pinpointing a figure concealed in a field. This breakthrough directed ground teams to the exact location, narrowing the search radius significantly. “The accused was in hiding. The police tracked him using different technologies,” Fadnavis told reporters in Mumbai, emphasizing the role of these tools while withholding specific details pending further investigation.
Sniffer dogs complemented the aerial effort, scouring the terrain for Gade’s scent. Together, the drones and dogs formed a high-tech net that tightened around the fugitive as the hours passed.
Human Intelligence Seals the Deal
While technology set the stage, human intelligence delivered the decisive blow. On Thursday evening, villagers reported that Gade had approached a local house requesting water and food. Although he fled before police arrived, the family’s tip confirmed his presence in the area. This prompted an intensified search, resuming after a brief pause in the drone and dog operations at night.
Armed with this lead, officers returned to the fields with renewed focus. Around midnight, they spotted Gade hiding among the crops, exhausted and desperate after two days on the run. Evidence of his desperation emerged later: a ligature mark on his neck suggested a failed suicide attempt by hanging, thwarted when the rope snapped.
The Arrest and Aftermath
Gade was apprehended at midnight on February 27 and transported back to Pune by 2 a.m. on Friday, February 28. Following a medical examination that confirmed the ligature mark, he was formally arrested. Later that day, he appeared before the Pune sessions court, where police sought 14 days of custody to investigate further. Gade’s lawyer, Wajid Khan, argued that the encounter was consensual, but the court remanded him to police custody until March 12 after hearing both sides.
Commissioner Kumar thanked the residents of Gunat village for their cooperation, noting that their assistance, combined with technology, made the arrest possible. He also announced a security audit of the Swargate depot, identifying vulnerabilities like dark spots and unsecured buses to prevent future incidents.
A Triumph of Tech and Teamwork
The arrest of Dattatray Ramdas Gade underscores how technology can amplify law enforcement efforts. Drones with thermal imaging provided eyes in the sky, sniffer dogs tracked the ground, and human intelligence bridged the gap, proving that even a history-sheeter adept at evading justice couldn’t outrun this multi-pronged approach. As Pune police analyze the case and bolster depot security, the operation stands as a testament to innovation and collaboration in the face of crime.