Pune bus rape case: Dogs, drones and request for water, here's how police nabbed the accused

Dattatray Ramdas Gade, accused of raping a woman inside a bus at Swargate bus station in the Indian city of Pune, was detained in the early hours of Friday (Feb 28). The 37-year-old was brought to the police station and was formally arrested.

After a 75-hour long chase and manhunt, Gade was nabbed from a paddy field in a village in Shirur Tehsil of the Pune district. Police have revealed the way he was arrested.

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Police teams used drones and sniffer dogs to locate him. Eventually, a request for food and water from a house led to his arrest. A total of 13 teams were part of the search operation.

Pune police have said a ligature mark was found on the accused's neck, raising suspicion that he might have attempted suicide.

Citing sources, news agency PTI reported that his mobile was switched off. But still, the police managed to reach his village. They found out he had visited a house requesting water.

An unnamed official said, "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."

Pune police on Thursday deployed drones and a dog squad in Gunat village, the official said, further adding that the Joint Commissioner of Police Ranjan Kumar Sharma also visited the village and briefed his officers.

He said the family informed the police about the accused's presence in the area, after which the police team resumed the search.

Pune rape case

As quoted by the news agency PTI, a senior police officer said, "Gade was brought to Pune by 2 am. He was sent for a medical examination and formally arrested. The accused will be produced in court later in the day."

Police informed that Gade, a history sheeter, fled to his native place in Shirur after allegedly sexually assaulting a 26-year-old woman inside a state transport bus at Swargate bus station in the early hours of Tuesday.

A 26-year-old woman was raped inside a stationary state transport bus at the Swargate station, which is one of the largest bus depots of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC).

The incident happened early morning between 5.45 am IST and 6:00 am IST when the victim was waiting to board a bus to her hometown in the Satara district.

The victim told the police that the accused started a discussion with her and addressed her as 'didi' (sister). He informed her that the bus to Satara had arrived at another platform.

He took her to an empty bus parked on the premises. The victim said she was hesitant to board the bus because the lights inside were not turned on, but the man persuaded her that it was the correct vehicle. He followed her in and raped her.

(With inputs from agencies)