Pune police use drones, dogs to look for Swargate bus rape accused 

Amid mounting pressure, police on Thursday deployed drones and dogs in Shirur taluka of Pune district to trace the accused in the Swargate bus rape case, officials said.

History-sheeter Dattatray Ramdas Gade (37) is accused of raping a 26-year-old woman inside a Shiv Shahi bus of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) at Swargate bus station in Pune two days ago.

At least 13 teams of the Pune city police are trying to trace Gade, a resident of Gunat village, an official said.

In coordination with the Pune Rural police, a search operation is being conducted in the sugarcane fields at Gunat village as there was suspicion that Gade was hiding there, the official said.

Several senior police officials and more than 100 cops reached Gunat village in the afternoon, he said. Police are using drones for aerial imaging of the field so that Gade can be tracked down, he said.

A dog squad was also called for the search operation in the village, he said.

Pune police have already announced a Rs 1 lakh reward for any credible information that would lead to Gade's arrest, he said.

Pune Rural police are searching in the Shirur area and will do whatever is required for the operation, the official said.

In Pune City, police have questioned several persons, including Gade's friends, relatives and acquaintances, the official said.