Pune police have arrested Dattatray Gade, the accused in the Swargate rape case, after an extensive manhunt. Gade was captured in Gunat village, Shirur taluka, around 1:30 AM on Friday midnight. The Swargate police team conducted the operation and will present him in court this afternoon.
Accused Broke Down in Custody
Sources indicate that after being taken into custody, Gade broke down and admitted, "I made a mistake, I am a sinner," while crying in police custody. However, he also claimed before the police that he did not assault the woman and that their relationship was consensual.
Extensive Police Operation Led to Arrest
The police received intelligence that Gade was hiding in a sugarcane field in Gunat village. In response, a massive operation was launched involving 100 police officers, drones, and dog squads. A thorough search was conducted across 25 acres, but Gade initially remained elusive.
As the night progressed, Gade struggled without food and water. Around 1 AM, he approached a woman’s house seeking water. The woman immediately alerted the police, but before they arrived, Gade fled and hid in a canal pit. Police teams quickly surrounded the area. Villagers played a crucial role in convincing Gade to surrender, following which he was taken into custody.
High-Level Investigation Underway
Following his arrest, Gade was transferred to Lashkar police station, where he is currently being interrogated. Senior police officials, including Joint Commissioner Ranjan Kumar Sharma and Deputy Commissioner Smaratna Patil, are overseeing the investigation.
