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No explosives, ‘dummy bomb’ placed at hospital in Pune to extort money: Police

The ATS nabbed the suspect identified as Shivaji Rathod, aged around 30 years, from Nagpur railway junction on Friday.

6 min readPuneMay 15, 2026 10:06 PM IST

Pune hospital bomb scare, shivaji rathod, Ushakiran Superspecialty Hospital,

Hailing from Solapur, Shivaji Rathod (centre) is married and lives in Pune. (Express photo)

Two days after a “bomb-like” object was found at the Ushakiran Superspecialty Hospital in Pune’s Hadapsar, the probe by the Pune city police, Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) and intelligence agencies has found there was no explosive material in the device.

Police said it was a “dummy bomb” placed in the hospital by a financially distressed man, who wanted to extort money from doctors.

The ATS nabbed the suspect identified as Shivaji Rathod, aged around 30 years, from Nagpur railway junction on Friday. Police said there was no terror angle to the case. Hailing from Solapur, the accused is married and lived in Pune.

According to Dr Vilas Gaikwad, owner of the hospital, a woman staffer spotted the “bomb-like” object inside men’s washroom on the first floor around 7 pm. Dr Gaikwad kept the suspicious object, with a timer showing a time of 7.10, in a box in an open space outside the hospital and informed the police within a few minutes. The Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) neutralised the object at the Gliding Centre in Hadapsar on Wednesday night.

Based on a complaint filed by a hospital employee, a case was lodged at the Hadapsar police station under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 109 (1) (attempt to murder) and Section 4 (punishment for attempt to cause explosion, or for making or keeping explosive with intent to endanger life or property) of the Explosive Substances Act.

‘The Real Collection’ shop Shivaji Rathod ran in Manjari. (Express photo by Arul Horizon)

Police probe and arrest

Teams of Pune city police and ATS checked videos captured by CCTV cameras at the hospital and several other locations. Police focused on about 15 persons seen in CCTV footage, but later zeroed in on Rathod, who was spotted moving suspiciously in the hospital.

Pune city police commissioner Amitesh Kumar said, “Analysis of CCTV footage and technical data confirmed the name of the accused by Thursday afternoon. Search was conducted at his residence and shop, when we found an empty case of the digital watch used in the bomb-like object. He had ordered the digital watch online…”

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Must Read | Bomb-like device at Pune hospital: Suspect nabbed at Nagpur railway junction, probe on

“While the accused was on the run, his family, his friends and others who knew him at locations like Manjari, Mundhwa, Kalepadal and Hadapsar were questioned. Finally it was learnt that the accused was trying to escape by train. He was detained at Nagpur railway junction with the help of ATS. Procedure to bring him to Pune is on,” Kumar said.

The police commissioner said there was prima facie no explosive content found in the “bomb-like” object. “It was not an actual bomb. The accused planned to extort money from doctors by placing it,” he said.

Police earlier defused the object using explosives. The soil at the spot after it was defused has been sent to the forensic lab. “Forensic report is awaited and it will confirm whether any other explosive content than what we used to defuse it was present,” he said.

Watched YouTube videos for making ‘bomb-like object’

Police said the accused was facing financial problems and had been to the hospital on May 10 for treatment. The doctors gave him an estimate of the cost of treatment. It may have led to a dispute with the doctors. He then decided to place a “bomb-like” object at the hospital to extort money from doctors to clear his debts and meet his treatment cost, police said.

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Probe revealed after watching some YouTube videos, the accused purchased a digital watch online, procured wires and other material from different spots for making the “dummy” bomb.

The ‘Mauli Mobile Shop’ where Shivaji Rathod lived. (Express photo by Arul Horizon)

During investigation, police reached a shop where the accused purchased a two-way tape by paying Rs 15 through Gpay. It provided leads to the police for tracing the accused.

Police carried out searches at Manjari, then at Pune railway station, but he fled from these spots. The Akola police then tried to nab him near Murtizapur. He again escaped, but was finally held in Nagpur. Probe revealed the accused was on his way to Howrah in West Bengal, from there to Nepal.

How accused changed his looks

Accused Shivaji Rathod had taken a shop on rent of Rs 5,000 per month in Manjari area about three months ago. The shop “The Real Collection” sold items such as shoes, track pants, T-shirts, belts.

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Police said that in the CCTV footage at the hospital, Rathod is seen with a thick beard and mustache. But, after placing the “bomb-like” object, Rathod got a haircut and shaved his beard and mustache at MZ Men’s Saloon, located adjacent to “The Real Collection”.

The barber told police after shaving, Rathod left the place without making payment, saying he did not have money. “He said he would pay the money soon and left… Now, we came to know that he has been arrested for placing a ‘bomb’ at a hospital,” the barber said. The barber said Rathod also often resided at the “Mauli Mobile Shoppe” run by his friend opposite his shop.

Police suspect Rathod purposely changed his looks to evade investigators. Police conducted searches at “The Real Collection” as well as “Mauli Mobile Shoppe” on Thursday. Police sources said some marijuana was recovered from at the mobile phone shop.

The owner who had rented both the shops said, “Rathod only gave a deposit of Rs 5,000 initially, but did not give any rent thereafter. So I locked the shop some days before and asked him to clear the rent.” Police said there was no rent agreement between Rathod and the shopowner.

Chandan Haygunde

Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. 1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases “Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025) Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025) After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital. “A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train. “No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025) Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence. 2. Inter-state firearms racket "Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025) "Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025) An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country ‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025) Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. X (Twitter): @chandan_pune ... Read More

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