Pune: A 26-year-old woman was allegedly raped inside a stationary Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus at the busy Swargate bus stand early Tuesday morning, police said. The accused, identified as Dattatraya Ramdas Gade (36), a petty criminal with a history of theft and chain-snatching cases, is currently on the run, with multiple police teams launched to track him down.

The shocking incident has sparked outrage, with Opposition leaders slamming the Maharashtra government over rising crime in Pune. Protests erupted at the Swargate bus station on Wednesday, where Shiv Sena (UBT) workers led by Vasant More vandalised the security office, smashing windows and furniture while women activists raised slogans against the BJP-led state government.

Lured into an empty bus and attacked

According to the police, the woman was waiting for a bus to Phaltan in Satara district around 5:45 a.m. when Gade approached her, calling her ‘Didi’ (sister), and claimed her bus had arrived at another platform. He then led her to a parked ‘Shiv Shahi’ AC bus, convincing her to step inside and check using a torch. Once she boarded, he followed her in and raped her before fleeing.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Smartana Patil said CCTV footage confirmed the woman was seen walking towards the bus with the accused. Despite the bus stand being crowded with people and vehicles, the crime went unnoticed. The survivor, in shock, did not report the attack immediately. She later narrated the ordeal to a friend over the phone while travelling and, on their advice, got off within the city limits to file a police complaint.

A case of rape has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and the woman is in stable condition, police said.

Manhunt for the accused

Police have formed eight teams, including a sniffer dog squad, to locate Gade, who has previous cases registered against him in Pune’s Shikrapur and Shirur police station limits.

Opposition slams Maharashtra government

The brutal assault has drawn sharp criticism from political leaders. NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule hit out at the Maharashtra government, highlighting the failure of law enforcement despite a police post being located nearby.

“This incident proves that anti-social elements do not fear the law. The home department has failed to control crime in Pune. This case must be heard in a fast-track court, and the accused should receive the harshest punishment,” Sule said.

Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal claimed that crimes against women were increasing in the state.

“MSRTC buses are Maharashtra’s lifeline, and now a rape has taken place inside one. When the Nirbhaya gangrape happened in Delhi, people changed the regime. The BJP government promotes the Laadki Bahin scheme for women but ignores basic safety concerns,” he said.

(With input from PTI)