Pune Rape Accused Posed as Policeman for Months, Still on the Run

A 37-year-old man accused of rape, theft, and robbery in Pune and Ahilyanagar districts is on the run, despite multiple cases against him. Identified as Dattatraya Ramdas Gade, the accused allegedly posed as a policeman for months, misleading people at the Swargate bus station. Authorities have announced a reward of ₹1 lakh for any information leading to his arrest.

Incident at Swargate Bus Station

The shocking crime took place early Tuesday morning at Pune’s Swargate bus station, one of the busiest depots of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). A 26-year-old woman, who works in the medical field, was waiting for a bus to Phaltan in Satara district around 5:45 am.

Gade allegedly approached her, pretending to be helpful. Calling her “didi” (sister), he told her the bus had arrived at another platform and led her to an empty ‘Shiv Shahi’ AC bus parked nearby. Despite her hesitation due to the lack of lighting inside, he convinced her to step in before following her inside and assaulting her.

A History of Crime

Hailing from Gunat village in Pune, Gade has a long criminal record, including theft, robbery, and chain-snatching. He has been out on bail since 2019 for one of these offenses. Locals say he is married with children, and his parents work as farm laborers.

Government Response and Security Measures

Following the incident, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik ordered a security audit of all MSRTC bus stations and depots. Additional security measures will include:

Deployment of women security guards

Increased police patrolling at bus stations

Mandatory uniforms with nameplates for MSRTC staff

Installation of CCTV cameras, GPS tracking, and panic buttons in 15,000 buses

Authorities are urging the public to report any sightings of the accused and help bring him to justice.

News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.