Mumbai: The Pune police on Thursday announced Rs one lakh reward for information on the accused in Pune bus rape case. A 26-year-old woman in Pune was raped inside a Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus parked at the Swargate bus depot. The police have also deployed drones and dogs in Shirur taluka of Pune district to trace the accused.According to reports, at least 13 teams of the Pune city police are trying to trace Dattatray Ramdas Gade, a resident of Gunat village. “Police are using drones for aerial imaging of the field so that Gade can be tracked down. A dog squad was also called for the search operation in the village,” an official said.Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Smartana Patil announced a Rs one lakh reward for information that can help trace Gade. Officials have also released his photograph and urged the public to provide any leads while ensuring informants’ identities remain confidential.The official said that Gade has multiple criminal cases, including theft, robbery, and chain-snatching, registered against him in Pune and Ahilyanagar districts. He had been out on bail since 2019 for one of the offences, and a fresh theft case was filed against him in 2024. His brother was questioned by Pune Police on Wednesday. Authorities are also investigating whether Gade has committed previous sexual assaults.The 26-year-old woman was allegedly raped inside a stationary bus belonging to the MSRTC at Swargate bus stand. The woman told the police that she was waiting for a bus to Satara, when Gade, loitering on the premises of the bus stand, misled her to another bus, stating that it was the one for her destination in Satara. The victim believed him and boarded the bus. The suspect followed her and raped her inside the bus before fleeing from the place. The police said that the victim made a call to her friend and narrated the entire incident. Her friend advised her to register a complaint with the police.Maharashtra transport minister Pratap Sarnaik has ordered a departmental inquiry, and all 23 security personnel at the depot have been removed for negligence. Two senior officers, the Assistant Transport Superintendent and the Bus Depot Manager, are under investigation and face suspension if found negligent.“We are going to audit 580 but depots in the state and upgrade safety measures using artificial intelligence. We are also trying to increase the percentage of women employees to 20 per cent and hire more security guards to address safety and surveillance issues,” Mr. Sarnaik said.
Source link
