Dattatray Ramdas Gade, 37, was arrested from a paddy field in Shirur tehsil, Pune. Police say a ligature mark was found on the accused’s neck, raising suspicion that he might have attempted suicide. Gade fled after allegedly sexually assaulting a 26-year-old woman inside a state transport bus at Swargate bus station in the early hours of Tuesday. He is named in half a dozen theft, robbery and chain-snatching cases in Pune and Ahilyanagar districts. He has been out on bail since 2019 in one of the offences, an official said. He was sent for a medical examination and formally arrested. The accused will be produced in court later in the day, police said. The case will be taken to a fast-track court, and a special councillor will be appointed, a police official said, adding that the security and safety audit of the bus depot has concluded. The investigation into the incident will be carried out by the state transport department, he said.
