The alleged rape of a 26-year-old inside a stationary bus at Pune’s Swargate bus depot Tuesday has caused uproar, with Opposition saying that the law and order in Maharashtra has collapsed after BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis has become the home minister.
Baramati MP Supriya Sule of the NCP (SP) wrote on X that the chief of the bus depot (in the middle of the city), had written to the police about anti-social elements and demanded actions against them.
“After the incident of sexual assault on a young woman in the vicinity of Swargate bus station, serious questions have been raised regarding law and order. The Swargate depot chief has written to the police administration from time to time that private agents and other anti-social elements are harassing the bus station and that action should be taken against them. But still, it does not appear that the police administration has taken any action,” Sule wrote on X.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said this was Pune’s ‘Nirbhaya Kaand’.
“This is similar to Delhi’s ‘Nirbhaya Kaand’ and the government is still silent. What’s happening in Pune?... What is the government doing? The person who has taken the responsibility of ‘laadli behna’ is silent.”
Nirbhaya case refers to the Delhi gangrape of 2012. On the night of December 16, a moving bus in South Delhi became the scene of a gang rape of a young woman and her boyfriend returning home from a movie.
Ladki Behna is a Maharashtra government scheme which gives Rs 1,500 in the state. Former chief minister Eknath Shinde started the scheme in 2023.
Shinde had promised to increase the dole to Rs 3,000 during a poll rally last year.
Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal said, “For some time now, incidents of exploitation of women are being reported continuously in Maharashtra...The law and order situation in Maharashtra collapsed after Devendra Fadnavis became the Home Minister...We are with the victim and our demand that culprits should be given the harshest punishment.”
Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar said, “Despite having 20 security guards (at the bus depot) such an incident took place. I feel that people of Maharashtra have lost trust over the police. ‘Shakti Law’ should be implemented immediately, and strong action should be taken against the accused. When the Nirbhaya gangrape incident took place in Delhi, people changed the regime. You (BJP-led government) promote Laadki Bahin scheme for women (providing financial aid), but ignore basic issues of the people,” he said.
Devendra Fadnavis is also the home minister of Maharashtra.
Anish Gawande, national spokesperson of NCP(SP) wrote on X, “Scary news from Pune. A bar owner was attacked by hooligans and his bike set on fire in Bharati Vidyapeeth. A 26-year-old woman was raped inside a Shivshahi bus at Swargate bus stand. Where is the accountability? Where is the safety? This cannot go on.”
NCP (SP) workers protested near the Swargate bus stand in Pune demanding death penalty for the rape accused and resignation of Fadnavis.
Fadnavis has assured that the accused will be arrested as soon as possible.
“I assure all my brothers, sisters and mothers in Maharashtra that the state government will take steps to ensure that the accused is arrested by the police as soon as possible and punished as severely as possible according to the law. Instructions have been given to the minister of women and child development and the chairperson of the state women’s commission to provide justice, psychological support, and all possible assistance to the victim,” he said.
Deputy chief minister, NCP’s Ajit Pawar said he has directed the Pune police commissioner to arrest the accused immediately.
Pune Police has announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for information leading to the arrest of the accused. The accused, 36-year-old Dattatraya Ramdas Gade, with a history of theft and chain-snatching, remains at large.
“As many as 13 police teams are working to track down accused Dattatray Ramdas Gade,” Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar said.
The incident took place around 5.45 am, and happened meters away from the Swargate police station. The victim awaiting her bus to Phaltan, was lured by a man posing as a helpful guide.