Dattatraya Gade, accused of thePuneBus rape case has been detained by the police from Shirur Tehsil and taken into custody amid brutal outrage against him as the Maharashtra State Transport Kamgar Sanghatana protest against the accused demands safety. Pune City Police released a video showing the detention of the accused, Gade, from Shirur. Gade had been on the run since the incident that occurred on Tuesday.

The accused

37-year-old Gade, having a criminal background of theft, robbery, and chain snatching Gade was on bail from 2019 from one of his six criminal cases. He is alleged to have raped a woman who was waiting for a bus to return home to Phaltan, which is 100 km away from the bus station after finishing work. He approached the woman, leading her to the so-called correct bus parking area, where he brought her to an MSRTC Shivashi bus at the depot and allegedly committed the obscene act.

Search Operation

As the incident was reported, a manhunt was launched to capture Gade, who had been on the run since the event. The search for Gaade intensified when a family in Shirur Tehsil reported that he had asked them for food and water.

“The search operation in sugarcane fields with drones and dog squads was stopped at night. However, we received information that Gade had visited a house asking for food. We rushed to the spot, but he managed to flee. The family in the house gave him a bottle of water,” an official said.

Prime Minister Ajit Pawar mentioned the use of drones to capture Gade saying, “Till the day before yesterday, people were questioning why he we used a drone to catch him. His situation was such that he tried to die by suicide. I am firm that such incidents shall not happen anywhere. Now, efforts are being made to investigate the case properly. Let the facts come out after a detailed probe. Action will be taken against those who are vandalizing public property,”

The accused had attempted to hang himself three times before his arrest; however, the rope broke each time. The police confirmed that they found ligature marks on Gades neck.

The Protest

The Maharashtra State Transport Kamgar Sanghatana gathered at Swargate Station to condemn recent events. During the rally, they raised a significant issue: the abandoned ST colony building at the station has become a hub for alcohol and weed consumption, making the area unsafe for travelers.

The chairperson of the union told The Indian Express, “The incident that happened here is extremely condemnable and the decision by authorities to provide more security to women travelers is positive. But we demand that women transport workers should also be protected as they also have to do midnight shifts.

The Dfense

The Dfense

The accused was presented before a Judicial Magistrate following the arrest and requested a 14-day custodial remand to facilitate the investigation. He argued that the incident was not a case of rape but rather a consensual relationship, as surveillance footage from the bus station showed the woman willingly entering the bus. Gades custodial remand is dated March 12 according to the court orders.