February 26, 2025: In a shocking incident, a 26-year-old woman was allegedly raped inside a parked bus at Pune’s Swargate Bus Stand, barely 100 metres from a police station. The crime, which took place in the early hours of Tuesday morning, has raised serious concerns about women’s safety in public spaces.
The accused, identified as 36-year-old Dattatraya Ramdas, was caught on CCTV footage but remains at large. Police officials have launched a massive manhunt to track him down, forming eight special teams and deploying a sniffer dog unit. Investigations have revealed that Ramdas has a criminal record, making his arrest even more urgent.
According to the survivor, who works as a domestic help, she was waiting to board a bus to her home in Phaltan, Satara district, when the accused approached her. Addressing her as didi (sister), he inquired about her destination and assured her that the parked bus would take her there. When she hesitated, noticing that the vehicle was unlit, he told her that the other passengers were asleep and convinced her to step inside. As soon as she entered, he locked the doors and raped her.
The woman later managed to board another bus, where she confided in a friend about the assault. Her friend urged her to report the incident to the police, following which a case was immediately registered. Investigators swiftly accessed CCTV footage from the bus stand, which showed the accused speaking to the woman before leading her towards the bus. The authorities are now probing how such an incident could have taken place in a busy public transport hub without intervention from the depot management or security personnel.
The Swargate Bus Stand, one of Maharashtra’s largest transport hubs, is operated by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). The incident has sparked outrage, with many questioning the lack of adequate security measures at such a critical location.
The crime has also triggered a political storm, with opposition parties criticizing the ruling government over rising crime rates in the state. Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal condemned the incident, drawing parallels to the 2012 Nirbhaya case in Delhi. He accused the government of focusing on welfare schemes for women while neglecting their basic safety. NCP leader Supriya Sule also voiced her concern, stating that the crime reflected a failure of the home department in ensuring law and order in Pune. Meanwhile, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction staged a protest at the bus stand, demanding immediate action against those responsible.
As public outrage grows, authorities are under immense pressure to track down the accused and ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future. With the police intensifying their investigation, all eyes are now on whether justice will be served swiftly and whether this case will lead to concrete changes in security measures for women in Pune.