Pune, February 27: Maharashtra Minister of State for Home, Yogesh Kadam, has held private security guards responsible for the recent rape of a 26-year-old woman at the Swargate MSRTC bus depot, while assuring that the accused has been identified and will be arrested soon.
The brutal crime took place early Tuesday morning inside a Maharashtra State Transport (ST) bus. The accused, identified as history-sheeter Dattatray Ramdas Gade (37), remains absconding, and police have formed 13 teams to track him down.
Addressing the issue, Kadam criticized the security arrangements at the bus terminal, stating that the guards, hired through a private agency by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), failed in their duty. He also emphasized that the depot manager should have ensured stricter vigilance. However, he clarified that his remarks were not intended to absolve the police of their role in preventing such crimes.
"A patrolling team under the senior inspector of Swargate police station was active at 1:30 AM and 3:30 AM on the day of the incident. However, the MSRTC is responsible for round-the-clock security, as they hire and pay the security guards. The depot manager should have ensured their proper functioning," Kadam stated.
When questioned about a previous communication from MSRTC to the police regarding anti-social elements at the Swargate bus depot, Kadam dismissed the idea that merely submitting a letter absolved MSRTC of responsibility. He further commented on the nature of the crime, explaining that it was carried out discreetly, preventing immediate intervention.
"The crime occurred at 6 AM, and the victim filed a complaint at 9 AM. Once the police received the complaint, the accused was quickly identified through CCTV footage. We have confirmed that he used a bus to flee, and efforts are underway to locate him," the minister added.
Kadam emphasized the need to avoid blame games and instead focus on arresting the accused. However, he reiterated that had the security at the bustling bus terminal been adequate, the incident could have been prevented.
In a move to enhance security, Kadam discussed with Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik the possibility of deploying police marshals at sensitive locations. During his visit to the Swargate bus terminal, he was accompanied by Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, Joint Commissioner Ranjan Kumar Sharma, and other senior officials.
The incident has sparked concerns over safety measures at major transport hubs in Maharashtra, prompting calls for stricter security enforcement to prevent such crimes in the future.
