In a major breakthrough in the Hadapsar bomb scare case, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested the man accused of planting a timer bomb at the Usha Kiran Hospital in Hadapsar, triggering panic across Pune city on Tuesday night.
The accused has been identified as Shivaji Rathod (approximately 35 years old), a native of Solapur who was currently residing in Pune. According to sources, Rathod allegedly planted the explosive device inside the hospital premises and later fled towards Nagpur by train.
Acting swiftly on technical and intelligence inputs, ATS teams launched a parallel search operation in Solapur and Nagpur. The accused was eventually traced and taken into custody from Nagpur Railway Station on Friday.
According to the information, Rathod had allegedly booked train tickets to multiple destinations in an attempt to mislead the police and evade arrest. The move reportedly created confusion regarding his escape route during the initial phase of the investigation.
Low-grade Improvised Explosive Device (IED) found at the hospital premise had created a tense atmosphere in the city, prompting an immediate response from the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS), local police, and ATS officials. The devise was installed with seven hours timer.
ATS officials are currently conducting an intensive interrogation of the accused to ascertain the motive behind the act and to determine whether any other individuals were involved in the conspiracy.
After preliminary questioning by the ATS, the accused is expected to be handed over to Pune Police for further investigation.
