Pune Woman Raped Inside Bus Near Police Station, Accused Still at Large
Pune: A 26-year-old woman was raped inside a parked bus at Pune’s Swargate Bus Stand, just 100 metres from a police station, early Tuesday morning. The horrifying incident has sparked outrage, with many questioning the state of women’s safety in the city.
The accused, identified as 36-year-old Dattatraya Ramdas, was caught on CCTV but remains on the run. He already has a criminal record, and authorities have formed eight special teams and deployed a canine unit to track him down.
The survivor, a domestic worker, was on her way to her home village of Phaltan in Satara district. According to her statement, the crime occurred between 5:45 AM and 6:30 AM. She said Ramdas approached her at the bus stand, referring to her as “didi” (sister) and inquiring about her destination. He then misled her into believing that the parked bus, which had no lights on, would take her there.
When she hesitated, concerned about the darkness inside, he assured her that other passengers were asleep. The moment she stepped inside, he locked the door and assaulted her. After the attack, she managed to board another bus where she confided in a friend, who urged her to report the crime to the police immediately.
Authorities swiftly registered a case and began an investigation, reviewing CCTV footage and questioning the bus depot management about security lapses. The bus stand, one of Maharashtra’s busiest transport hubs, is run by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation.
The incident has led to severe criticism of the state government. Opposition leaders have blamed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also oversees the Home Department, for failing to curb crime in Pune.
Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal linked the case to rising crimes against women in the state, drawing parallels to the 2012 Nirbhaya case in Delhi. He accused the ruling BJP of prioritizing welfare schemes for women while neglecting their safety.
NCP leader Supriya Sule condemned the crime, highlighting that it took place in a supposedly well-patrolled area, showing that “anti-social elements have no fear of the law.” Meanwhile, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena faction staged a protest at the bus stand, demanding accountability.
A video shared by ANI showed Sena leader Vasant More and others confronting bus stand officials, with images of a broken office window reflecting the anger and frustration over yet another brutal crime against a woman.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
