Pune: The bus rape incident was reported to have occurred around Tuesday morning, when a 26-year-old woman was raped inside an inter-city bus parked right in the center of the busy Swargate Bus Stand of Pune. This station is located approximately 100 meters in the premises of the Swargate Police Station where the police officers are on duty.
The police were able to identify the accused-Dattatraya Ramdas-through the CCTV footage but have still been unable to arrest him. Eight special teams have been established to launch manhunts for him. Along with this, a canine sniffer unit has been deployed. Ramdas, aged 36, is already on police records.
Moreover, according to the police, the raped bus of the young woman, who is a domestic worker on her way back to her home village in Phaltan, Satara district, was vandalized.
As per the police, the crime occurred between 5.45 am and 6.30 am.
A preliminary examination of CCTV footage showed the alleged rapist talking to the woman who reported that Ramdas called her ‘didi’, which means sister. The woman said that he asked her about her destination and told her the parked bus, which had no lights, would take her there.
The woman alleged the man lured her inside while dissuading her from entering by telling her that the lights were off because the other passengers were sleeping.
She narrated how after she entered, the man hurried after her, shut the door, and raped her.
After that, she boarded a second bus where her friend was on board and mentioned to her that she had been raped. The friend immediately persuaded her to go to the police.
According to the police, an FIR was immediately lodged. The CCTV footage was obtained, which in turn led to the initiation of this investigation, which will also inquire into the conduct of the bus depot management that allowed this incident to happen within their premises and on one of their buses.
The bus stand is one of the largest being operated by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar called the incident “extremely unfortunate, distressing, infuriating”. Mr Pawar added that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has taken note of this incident and has given the police necessary instructions regarding it.
“The incident of rape on one of our sisters at the Swargate bus station in Pune is extremely unfortunate, distressing, infuriating to all in a civilized society, and one that makes us hang our heads in shame. The crime committed by the accused in this case is unforgivable, and there can be no punishment other than hanging. I have personally instructed the Pune Police Commissioner to take a hands-on approach in investigating this matter and to arrest the accused immediately,” Mr Pawar posted on X.
“Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has also taken this crime seriously and has given necessary instructions to the police. The accused will be arrested at the earliest by the police, and for ensuring that he receives the harshest punishment under the law, the state government will take all steps, this assurance I give to all my brothers, sisters, and mothers of Maharashtra.
Mr Pawar added that instructions have been given to the Minister of Women and Child Development and Chairperson of the State Women’s Commission providing justice, mental healthcare, and all possible support to the victim sister.
As expected, this rape incident has invited sharp opposition criticisms, blaming Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who oversees the Home Department, for failing to stem the rising crime graph in the Pune area.
Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal declared that rape incidents were on the rise in the State, citing the inhuman Nirbhaya incident that took place back in 2012 in Delhi. He further commented that the BJP-led government in the state is more interested in announcing ‘freebies’ for women rather than paying heed to their safety.
“When Delhi’s Nirbhaya gangrape happened, people changed the regime (voting out Congress and bringing AAP to power)…Why are you providing financial aid to women through all your schemes but ignoring their basic issues?”
The NCP’s Supriya Sule, whose party faction is allied with the Congress, said a rape in an area is meant to be under police patrolling. “..this incident shows anti-social elements don’t have any fear of law. The home department has failed in controlling crime in Pune.”
And protests are underway at the bus stand from the Shiv Sena (the faction led by the former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, allied with both the Congress and Ms Sule’s NCP).
A video shared by news agency ANI showed the Sena’s Vasant More and other leaders inside the office of the bus stand, which had its window smashed in.
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