Akshay Shinde, the accused in the Badlapur sexual assault case, was fatally shot by police

 

Akshay Shinde, the accused in the Badlapur sexual assault case, was fatally shot by police after he fired at them inside a police van. This incident occurred more than a month after the sexual abuse of two minor girls at a school in Badlapur. Shinde, who was accused of sexually abusing the girls, was killed in retaliatory firing by the police after he seized a cop's weapon and opened fire. The occurrence took place on September 23rd as Shinde, a school sweeper, was being transported from Taloja jail to Badlapur for questioning. Gunshots were audible in the area as the police vehicle neared the Mumbra bypass. Shinde was admitted to a hospital in Kalwa, Thane, where he passed away from his injuries. A wounded assistant police inspector, injured during the shooting by Shinde, is currently receiving medical care at the hospital. On August 12, two young girls, aged four and five, were subjected to sexual abuse inside a school toilet in Badlapur. 

The individual, Shinde, was apprehended in relation to the incident on August 17. Subsequently, it was revealed that Shinde was hired by the school on August 1 on a temporary basis for sanitation purposes. Following public outrage over the incident, which led to demonstrations and disruption of train services in Thane, the Bombay High Court instructed the police on September 3 to thoroughly investigate the matter before filing charges. Demonstrators blocked railway tracks at Badlapur railway station in Thane district to protest against the alleged sexual abuse of two students at the school. 

Additionally, charges were brought against the school chairman and secretary under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for failing to report the incident promptly and for negligence. The accused individuals sought pre-arrest bail from a special court amidst ongoing scrutiny. They subsequently sought redress from the Bombay High Court after their plea was rejected by the special court. The Bombay High Court has scheduled a hearing for October 1 regarding the pleas submitted. Despite ongoing investigation by the Badlapur Police, the Maharashtra government has established a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in response to public outcry over perceived deficiencies in the police investigation. Concerns were raised as the chairman and secretary of the school in question had not been arrested despite the existence of a case against them. 

Following the shooting of Akshay Shinde, both Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that the incident was an act of self-defence. Chief Minister Shinde further mentioned that Akshay Shinde's ex-wife had accused him of sexual violence and the police were taking him in for questioning regarding these allegations. He seized the firearm from law enforcement officers and discharged it. Police retaliated in self-defence. Speaking on the matter, Fadnavis stated that the police resorted to firing in self-defence, resulting in the fatality of Akshay Shinde. He added that law enforcement officers were escorting him to Badlapur to investigate accusations brought forward by his former spouse. 

"The Opposition interrogates every matter." They desired for him to face the death penalty. "It is inappropriate to make such statements when the police were attempting to save lives," commented Fadnavis while supporting the sequence of events outlined by Eknath Shinde.

OPPOSITION ALLEGES FOUL PLAY

The Opposition criticized the incident, raising concerns about the sequence of events and questioning if it was an effort to tamper with evidence in a case that had sparked national outrage.

"Is this an effort to tamper with evidence? Was Akshay Shinde not restrained by the police during transportation? How did he access the gun, and why was the police negligent? We urge for a judicial inquiry into this matter," stated Vijay Wadettiwar, the Leader of Opposition in the assembly.

No action has been taken against the school management allegedly linked to the BJP, yet an arrested suspect was reportedly shot dead under dubious circumstances, remarked Wadettiwar, further expressing a lack of confidence in the Badlapur police.

In a similar vein, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sushma Andhare compared the incident to the shooting of four rape suspects in Telangana in 2019, pointing out that the police there also claimed it was in self-defense. Despite the fatalities, the truth remained undisclosed. Similar outcomes can be expected in the Badlapur sexual assault case. Was Akshay Shinde eliminated because he harbored darker secrets? The whereabouts of the school management remain unknown," she inquired.