Political parties in Maharashtra took to the streets today to condemn the alleged rape of a 26-year-old woman inside a Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus at the busy Swargate bus depot. NCP (SP) workers held protest near the Swargate bus stand in Pune demanding death penalty for the rape accused and resignation of CM Devendra Fadnavis. NCP (SP) MP and party executive president Supriya Sule said the incident took place very close to a police station in a busy area, which means there is no fear of police. “It raises concerns over the safety of women in the state. There is a serious crime taking place in the city every day and the Home department has failed to curb crime. It shows the pathetic state of law and order. The culprit should be given stringent punishment and the case should be tried in a fast-track court,” she said.
Dattatraya Ramdas Gade, a history sheeter out on bail since 2019, allegedly raped a 26-year-old woman inside a stationary state transport bus at the busy Swargate bus station in Pune city on Tuesday morning. The shocking incident triggered a protest by the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT), during which the security office on the premises was vandalised. In her police complaint, the woman said as she was waiting for a bus for Phaltan in the adjoining Satara district at one of the platforms at around 5.45am, a man approached and engaged her in conversation, calling her `didi' (sister), and said the bus for Satara had arrived at another platform. The man took her to an empty ‘Shiv Shahi’ AC bus parked elsewhere on the sprawling station premises. The woman, who works in the private medical field, told the police that as the lights inside the bus were not on, she hesitated to get in at first, but the man convinced her that it was the right vehicle. He then followed her inside and raped her before fleeing.
The accused also threatened the woman and asked her not to reveal the crime to anyone, the police said.The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognizance of the incident and demanded immediate action in the matter. NCW chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has written to the director general of police and asked him to submit to the commission an action taken report within three days along with an FIR copy, an official said.The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognizance of the incident and demanded immediate action in the matter. NCW chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has written to the director general of police and asked him to submit to the commission an action taken report within three days along with an FIR copy, an official said.