Pune bus rape: 13 police teams formed; ₹1 lakh cash reward to nab accused | 10 points

A massive outrage has erupted after a history sheeter out on bail since 2019 allegedly raped a 26-year-old woman inside a stationary state transport bus at the busy Swargate bus station in Pune city. Swargate is one of the largest bus depots of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC).

According to the police, the survivor works as a counsellor at a hospital in Pune. She had reached the bus stand to board a bus to her hometown Phaltan in Satara district.

The accused posing as a bus conductor approached her and inquired about her destination. Upon learning that she was travelling to Phaltan, he misled her by claiming that the bus was stationed elsewhere and offered to help her board it.

Pune bus rape case probe LIVE Updates

He allegedly led her to a Shivshahi bus, a luxury service run by MSRTC. She boarded the bus, after which he allegedly shut the door, sexually assaulted her, and fled the scene.

Here are the top updates on the Pune bus rape case:-

1. The Pune Police on Thursday said that a total of 13 teams have been formed to nab the accused Dattatray Ramdas Gade, who has been on the run since the incident took place. A reward of ₹1 lakh will be given to a person providing information about his whereabouts, Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar told PTI.

2. Pune's Zone II deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Smartana Patil told ANI that the accused wore a mask during the attack. “The problem is that the accused had a mask on when the incident happened, and his face wasn't easily recognizable. But our team worked hard to recognize the accused, and we have other pieces of evidence against him,” the official told ANI.

3. Maharashtra's transport minister Pratap Sarnaik ordered a departmental inquiry against the Assistant Transport Superintendent and the Bus Depot Manager of the Swargate Bus Depot. According to the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) Minister Sarnaik "has given instructions to suspend them if they are found at fault in the inquiry."

4. According to the ANI report, transport minister Sarnaik instructed the MSRTC to replace all existing security personnel at the Swargate bus depot with new staff to ensure better safety measures and prevent such incidents in the future.

5. Maharashtra women's panel chief Rupali Chakankar assured strict action against the accused. She highlighted the incident as “very unfortunate.” She said that the victim promptly registered a complaint at Swargate Police Station, following which swift action was taken by the authorities. She further stated that the accused is expected to be arrested within the next two to three days.

6. The opposition Congress has hit out at the BJP-led Mahayuti government, alleging that law and order is “collapsing” in the state. "This incident is shameful for Maharashtra. Law and order have been shattered in Maharashtra. Such incidents are increasing everywhere... There is no law and order left in Maharashtra. People have lost faith in the police department and the home department... The Chief Minister should pay attention to this, this is our demand from him," Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar told ANI.

7. On Tuesday, National Commission for Women (NCW) Vijaya Rahatkar wrote to the Director General of Police (DGP) in connection with the rape incident. According to PTI, the NCW chief asked the DGP to submit to the commission an action taken report within three days along with an FIR copy.

8. Another police official told PTI that information about Gade can be provided at numbers 020-24442769 or 9881670659. The informer's name will be kept secret, he added.

9. Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who is the guardian minister of Pune district, called the incident “painful, infuriating, and shameful”. "The incident of rape at the Swargate bus station is extremely unfortunate, painful, infuriating and shameful to all in civilized 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 investigate it and arrest the accused immediately," Pawar was quoted by PTI as saying.

10. AIMIM leader Waris Pathan condemned the rape incident, questioning the safety of women in the state despite the government's "Beti Bachao Beti Padhao" campaign and the "Ladli Behna Yojana" scheme.

(With PTI, ANI inputs)