A 26-year-old preoperative counsellor at a Pune hospital was allegedly raped inside a parked bus at the Swargate terminus around 5:30 AM on Tuesday. The accused, a known criminal with prior cases of theft and robbery, remains at large as police teams analyze CCTV footage and coordinate with local networks to track him down. The incident took place at Swargate, one of Pune’s busiest transport hubs, which accommodates around 60,000 daily passengers and 600 bus movements. Notably, the Swargate police station is located just across from the terminus, raising serious concerns over security lapses. Deputy Commissioner of Police Smartana Patil stated that the survivor was in a state of shock after the assault, preventing her from raising an alarm. According to Patil, the woman had arrived at the depot to catch a morning bus home when the accused approached her, striking up a casual conversation about her destination. He then misled her by pointing to a nearby parked bus, claiming it was open for passengers to board early. When she entered to check for a seat, he followed her inside, bolted the door, and assaulted her. Following the incident, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik ordered an inquiry into the security failures, leading to the dismissal of 23 personnel from service.
