 "Dattaray Gade is a history-sheeter with a string of cases against him, including theft, robbery, and chain-snatching, registered in Pune and neighbouring Ahilyanagar district. He was arrested by Pune Police on Friday. Image courtesy: News18")
After an intense 75-hour manhunt, Pune Police have finally arrested Dattatray Ramadas Gade, the prime accused in the shocking rape case at the Pune bus depot earlier this week.
Gade, a known history-sheeter with at least half a dozen criminal cases against him, allegedly raped a 26-year-old woman inside a stationary state transport bus, which was just 100 metres away from the police station. The horrific incident triggered widespread outrage across the city.
Following this, the police launched an extensive search operation to nab Gade who had been on the run since Tuesday. Drones were deployed, and 13 police teams—comprising over 100 personnel—were mobilised to track him across Pune district and beyond.
So how did the police finally nab Gade? What’s his criminal history? Here’s everything you need to know.
Who is Dattatray Ramadas Gade?
Gade is a history-sheeter with a string of cases against him, including theft, robbery, and chain-snatching, registered in Pune and neighbouring Ahilyanagar district. A Swargate police station official revealed that Gade had been out on bail since 2019 in one of these offences.
Cases were also registered in the past against him in Shikrapur and Shirur police station limits in Pune district, the DCP said.
A married man and father of a son, 36-year-old Gade had continued to be embroiled in criminal activities, despite past arrests.
During the investigation, officials discovered that Gade had been released on bail in a 2019 robbery case. In 2024, a fresh theft case was registered against him in Pune, and he had been summoned to the police station, an official told PTI.
Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar told the news agency that a Rs 1 lakh reward was announced for any information leading to his capture.
Beyond his criminal activities, Gade was also politically active. He worked for prominent political leaders during the recent assembly elections, and several photos of him with this leader circulated on social media.
Earlier, a photograph showing him alongside MLA Mauli Katke of the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) from Shirur constituency went viral. The picture instantly sparked a row, with people raising questions about his political connections. He also appeared on a banner wishing former MLA Ashok Pawar of the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) a happy birthday.
Both politicians, however, were quick to deny any links with Gade. Katke, speaking to The Indian Express, clarified that as a public representative, he meets and takes pictures with many people. Distancing himself further, he added, Gade should be hanged to death. Pawar also denied any association, urging police to investigate whom the accused was working for.
How police tracked down Gade
Following the shocking crime, Pune Police launched a large-scale manhunt to locate Gade, who had been on the run since early Tuesday morning.
To track him down, authorities deployed drones and formed 13 special teams, comprising over 100 personnel, who searched across Pune and neighbouring areas.
A major breakthrough came on Thursday night when Gade arrived at a relative’s house around 10:30 pm. According to NDTV, his family members, upon realising he was there, immediately alerted the police.
Before leaving, Gade took a bottle of water and reportedly confessed to his family, saying, “I have made a big mistake, and I have to surrender.”
During the search, police found a discarded shirt that Gade had changed out of. Using it to provide a scent, the dog squad traced his escape route. The trail led officers to the sugarcane fields of Gunat, his native village, located about 100 km from Pune. The accused was then found hiding in a canal near the farms by villagers.
Once his identity was confirmed, police swiftly moved in and took him into custody at around 1.30 am. He was then transported to Pune, where the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Swargate Police Station formally arrested him.
Pune bus rape case
The brutal crime took place inside a stationary state transport bus at Pune’s Swargate bus station, one of the busiest transit hubs in the city.
The 26-year-old victim, working as a preoperative counsellor at the city hospital, had been waiting for a bus to Phaltan in Satara district around 5:45 am on Tuesday. Posing as a bus conductor, Gade approached her, addressed her as “didi” (sister), and falsely claimed that her bus was stationed at a different platform.
He then led her to an empty Shiv Shahi AC bus parked elsewhere within the depot. Since the lights inside were off, she hesitated to board, but Gade assured her it was the correct bus. The moment she stepped in, he followed her inside and raped her before fleeing the scene.
According to police, Gade also threatened the woman, warning her not to report the crime. Shockingly, Swargate bus station authorities only became aware of the incident at 10 am—nearly four hours after it had taken place.
Aftermath
The incident triggered widespread outrage across Maharashtra, with demands for stricter action against the accused.
On Thursday, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde assured that the government would push for the harshest possible punishment for Gade, including the death penalty. Shiv Sena MLA Nilesh Rane even suggested reviving police “encounter squads” to deal with habitual criminals.
In response to growing concerns over safety, Maharashtra’s Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik ordered a comprehensive security audit of all bus depots across the state. He also directed that all unauthorised buses and seized vehicles be cleared from depots by April 15.
Highlighting the rising number of female passengers, Sarnaik called for the deployment of more women security guards at bus stands. Additionally, he also initiated a departmental inquiry against the Assistant Transport Superintendent and the Bus Depot Manager at Swargate, holding them accountable for security lapses that allowed such an incident to take place.
With input from agencies