A 35-year-old roadside shoe seller from Solapur, residing in Pune, was arrested from a train at Nagpur railway station on Friday for allegedly planting a low-intensity bomb at a private hospital in Pune on Wednesday. The accused, Shivaji Rathod, was nabbed from the general coach of Azad Hind Express by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) following an extensive search operation involving police units from Pune, Akola, and ATS teams at multiple railway stations.
Desperate Plan for Medical Bills
Police said Rathod, who operates a small shoe stall and previously worked at a mobile shop, had visited Ushakiran Superspecialty Hospital in Hadapsar, Pune, to seek treatment for a sexually transmitted disease. Doctors informed him that the cost could be around Rs 8 lakh, which he could not afford due to mounting debts and financial difficulties, according to ATS sources.
Investigators revealed that Rathod devised a desperate plan to cover his medical expenses. He allegedly planted a timed, low-intensity improvised explosive device (IED) in the men's washroom near the ICU section of the hospital. Police suspect the device was intended to trigger panic rather than cause casualties, after which he planned to make extortion calls demanding money.
Device Defused Before Harm
However, the plan did not materialize. Hospital staff noticed the suspicious object and raised an alarm before any harm could occur. The Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) was summoned, and the device was moved to an open area and defused, preventing damage.
The incident caused widespread panic in Pune as news of the bomb scare spread. Fearing arrest, Rathod fled the city. Police said he boarded a train towards Nagpur but booked multiple tickets to mislead investigators.
Swift Investigation Leads to Arrest
Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar directed a swift investigation. Authorities used CCTV footage to zero in on the suspect. Photos and descriptions of the suspect were circulated on WhatsApp to all law enforcement agencies. Using technical surveillance and mobile phone location, it was determined that the suspect was on a train headed towards Nagpur that would not stop at Akola. Alerts were issued to Akola Superintendent of Police Archit Chandak and Nagpur ATS teams. Following the alert, Akola police deployed nearly 25 personnel at Murtizapur station.
At Nagpur, ATS personnel screened all trains arriving from Pune before locating and detaining the suspect from the general coach of Azad Hind Express, which stopped at Platform 4 of Nagpur station. The suspect attempted to flee when he saw police entering the coach but was overpowered and detained by ATS personnel.
Ongoing Investigation
Officials are now interrogating Rathod to determine whether he acted alone and how he sourced the explosive materials. He is expected to be handed over to Pune police for further legal action. Meanwhile, investigators are examining the chain of events, including how the explosive was procured, whether others were involved, and if there were any motives beyond attempted extortion.
