Pune (Maharashtra) [India], May 15 : In a swift coordinated operation, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the Pune City Police Crime Branch arrested a man on Friday for allegedly planting an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at a private hospital in Hadapsar.
The suspect, identified as Shivaji Rathore, was apprehended at the Nagpur Railway Junction while reportedly attempting to flee.
The incident unfolded on Wednesday evening when a doctor at a private medical facility in the Hadapsar area noticed a suspicious object near a washroom.
The device was described as having a digital clock-like attachment, visible wiring and components, and low-grade explosives, as later confirmed by investigators.
The hospital staff immediately alerted the police control room, triggering an emergency evacuation and a large-scale security response.
The Pune City Police Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) arrived on the scene shortly after the discovery. To ensure public safety, the team carefully recovered the device from the hospital premises, transported it to a secure, open location and successfully defused the IED without any casualties or property damage.
Following the defusal, high-ranking officials, including Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar and senior ATS officers, took charge of the investigation.
"Through technical analysis and local intelligence, the suspect was identified and tracked to Nagpur. The collaborative effort between the ATS and Pune Crime Branch led to his successful apprehension on Friday," stated a senior ATS official.
Shivaji Rathore is being transported back to Pune for further interrogation. While the motive behind planting the low-grade explosive remains unclear, authorities are investigating whether it was an attempt at extortion, personal vendetta, or a larger conspiracy.
Police have increased surveillance around major hospitals and public spaces in Pune as a precautionary measure.
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