Pune rape accused visited multiple bus stands; crime occurred 100m from police station: 10 points

📌 Protests erupt: After news broke of the rape, political parties staged protests at the Swargate bus deport. Shiv Sena (UBT) supporters ransacked the MSRTC office at Swargate to protest the incident. NCP (SP) MP and party executive president Supriya Sule said the incident took place very close to a police station in a busy area, which means there is no fear of police.

📌 What did the government say: City MP Murlidhar Mohol, who is also a Union Minister, sought the “immediate arrest of the culprit” after talking to the police commissioner and said such incidents will not be tolerated.

📌 What is police doing: The police have deployed drones and a dog squad to arrest the accused. The police released a photo of the accused and is offering Rs 1 lakh for any information on him. They suspect the accused could be hiding in sugarcane farms near his residence in Shirur, and a search is underway.

📌 Who is the accused: The accused, Dattatraya Ramdas Gade, wore a “neatly tucked-in shirt” and Maharashtra Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam said this was possibly part of his modus operandi. CCTV footage has shown that the 37-year-old accused visited multiple bus stations in days before the incident. After the alleged rape, the accused likely took another bus.

📌 Unions allege inaction: The MSRTC employee union has claimed its warning, conveyed to the authorities on February 8, fell on deaf ears. The union had highlighted the issue of abandoned buses and the unchecked movement of anti-social elements in empty buildings inside the employees’ colony. “We demanded police protection and even approached the Swargate police directly,” they said.

📌 Condoms strewn around inside empty buses, still: On ground at the Swargate bus depot, little seems to have changed. The Indian Express found “several alcohol bottles, trash and condoms” inside a host of abandoned buses.

📌 Ex-CJI Chandrachud weighs in: Former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud recalled the 2012 Nirbhaya incident and asserted crimes against women cannot be prevented only by forming laws but by their proper implementation. This was crucial to allow women to work safely, he said.

📌 Uddhav Thackeray praises party workers: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray showered praised on his party workers for ransacking the office of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation at the Pune bus stand. “You did good… Convey my thanks to everyone else who protested and continue to be vigilant,” he said.

📌 Officials blamed for apathy: Demonstrations were held on Thursday, blaming the officials for the incident. The protests were led by the Stree Mukti League, and saw demands of swift legal action and accountability from authorities.