Pune police arrested 37-year-old Dattatray Ramdas Gade, the accused in the recent Pune bus rape case, after a massive search operation led by the police teams. As per the report, the accused called the victim ‘didi’ (sister) and took her on an empty bus of ‘Shiv Shahi,’ where he allegedly raped her. The crime came to light after police reviewed the CCTV footage from the bus prime site and clearly confirmed his presence on the day of the incident.
Gade has a long criminal history, with at least six cases registered against him in Pune and Ahilyanagar districts. Five of these involve women as complainers. The police informed the court that data from the mobile phone he was carrying is yet to be recovered.
After a rigorous search involving 13 police units, drones, and sniffer dogs, Gade was finally caught in a paddy field in Shirur tehsil of Pune district around midnight on Thursday. The authorities reported that while technology played its part, human intelligence was decisive in apprehending him. Before his arrest, he had attempted to hang himself from a dry tree with a rope that snapped, allowing him to escape death. In a preliminary medical report received subsequently, ligature marks on his neck confirmed his aborted suicide.
On Friday, the Pune Sessions Court remanded Gade to police custody until March 12. His lawyer, Wajid Khan, argued that his client was facing a media trial and claimed that the woman had entered the bus voluntarily. He further stated that the physical relationship was consensual. Police continue to investigate the Pune bus rape case, with a final medical report awaited. Meanwhile, authorities are also probing the role of those who may have helped Gade evade arrest.
Ediited by Saumya saran
