Akshay Shinde, accused of sexually abusing two minor girls at a school in Maharashtra’s Badlapur, died in retaliatory firing by police after he snatched a cop’s gun and opened fire. The incident happened on September 23, while Shinde, who worked as a sweeper at the school, was being taken to Badlapur from Taloja jail for investigations in the case.
Gunshots were heard in the vicinity as the police vehicle approached the Mumbra bypass. Shinde was admitted to a hospital in Thane’s Kalwa, where he succumbed to his injuries. An assistant police inspector, who was injured in the firing by Shinde, is undergoing treatment at the hospital.
On Tuesday morning, Shinde’s body was taken from the Kalwa civic hospital to the state-run JJ Hospital in neighbouring Mumbai for post-mortem. His autopsy report was awaited.
WHAT IS THE BADLAPUR SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE
On August 12, two minor girls, aged four and five, were sexually abused inside the toilet of a school in Badlapur. The accused, Shinde, was arrested in connection with the case on August 17. Later, it was known that the school, on August 1, had appointed Shinde on a contractual basis to clean the toilets.
Massive protests erupted on the streets and locals blocked the movement of trains at a local railway station in Thane, over the assault, after which, the Bombay High Court, on September 3, told the police to build a “watertight” case and not file a charge sheet hurriedly under public pressure.
A case was also registered against the chairman and the secretary of the school, under relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, for not reporting the incident to the police immediately, and for negligence.
Under scanner, the duo moved a special court seeking pre-arrest bail. They later approached the Bombay High Court as the special court turned down their plea. As the Bombay High Court took up their pleas, the bench posted the matter for hearing on October 1.
Though the case was under investigation by the Badlapur Police, the Maharashtra government set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) following the public outcry over serious lapses in the police investigation, as the school’s chairman and the secretary had not been arrested even after a case against them.
AKSHAY SHINDE SHOT IN SELF-DEFENCE: MAHARASHTRA CM
Hours after Shinde was gunned down, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis said Akshay was shot dead in self-defence.
Talking to reporters on Monday, Chief Minister Shinde on Monday said, “Akshay Shinde’s ex-wife had accused him of sexual violence and the police were taking him for a probe regarding these allegations. He snatched the gun of police personnel and opened fire. Police fired back in self-defence.”
Speaking on the incident, Fadnavis said police opened fire in self-defence, leading to Akshay Shinde’s death. He also said the police were taking him to Badlapur to probe allegations made by his ex-wife.
OPPOSITION ALLEGES FOUL PLAY
Meanwhile, the incident drew condemnation from the Opposition, which questioned the chain of events and also asked if it was a move to destroy evidence in a case that had triggered national outrage.
“Is it an attempt to destroy evidence? Were Akshay Shinde’s hands not tied by the police during the transit? How could he reach for the gun, and how come the police were so careless? We demand a judicial probe in this matter,” Leader of Opposition in the assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar, said.
There is no action against the “BJP-linked” school management but an arrested accused is shot dead in suspicious circumstances, he said, adding “We have no trust in Badlapur police”.
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sushma Andhare equated the incident with the gunning down of four rape accused in Telangana in 2019.
“There too the police claimed it was done in self-defence. However, due to the deaths, the truth never came out. The same will be the case with the Badlapur sexual assault. Was Akshay Shinde killed as he was hiding something more sinister? Why is the school management still on the run,” she said.
How come Akshay Shinde managed to snatch a gun despite being handcuffed and how did he know to operate the firearm, Andhare further questioned.
Fadnavis must throw some light on these questions, she said, adding “It shows the state home minister’s inability to handle critical cases”.
In a post on X, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar said, “The accused should have been hanged as per the legal provisions, but the actions of the Home Department, while transferring him (from Taloja Jail) are questionable.”
The NCP supremo also demanded an in-depth inquiry into the incident.
EKNATH SHINDE, DEVENDRA FADNAVIS COUNTER CLAIMS
Hitting back at the Opposition, Chief Minister Shinde said, “Earlier, the Opposition demanded that Akshay Shinde be hanged. Now, they are taking his side and questioning the integrity of Maharashtra Police. This is condemnable and unfortunate.”
When asked about the Opposition’s allegation that the accused was killed to gain political sympathy, the Chief Minister said these parties are rattled by the success of his government’s Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme.
“Therefore, these parties are making such insensitive allegations,” Shinde asserted.
Echoing Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis said, “The Opposition raises questions on every issue. They had wanted him to be hanged. It is wrong to say such things when the police tried to save lives.”
AKSHAY SHINDE’s FAMILY CHALLENGES POLICE CLAIMS
Meanwhile, the family members of Akshay Shinde have challenged the police claim that he fired at a policeman first following which cops fired in self-defence which led to his death. Shinde’s kin also claimed that police pressured him for a confession in the sexual assault case.
“It is wrong to say that he first snatched the gun of a policeman and fired at him, and later the police fired at him in self-defence. The police got the confessional statement written by him under pressure to the effect that he had committed the crime. What they got written from him, he only knows,” Shinde’s mother and uncle told reporters outside the Kalwa hospital on Monday night.
Akshay Shinde’s father, Anna Shinde, said an inquiry should be conducted into his son’s killing.
His mother and uncle alleged it was a conspiracy by police and management of the Badlapur school. They claimed Akshay had told his kin that he was being beaten up by the police in custody and he also sent a chit seeking money.
They also asserted he could not have snatched the weapon of a policeman. He was not depressed, they added.
“The police have killed our child. The school management must also be probed. The police got him to write something but we don’t know what it is, only he knew it,” Akshay Shinde’s kin alleged.
“My son was afraid of bursting crackers and crossing the road. How can he shoot at policemen?” Akshay’s mother asked.
His family members also said he should have been taken to court for trial in the case against him, and questioned police shooting at him.
“The charges (in cases against Akshay) are not proved,” they said.
Akshay’s mother said he used to ask her when he would be released.
LAWYER FOR MINOR GIRLS SAYS AKSHAY SHINDE’s DEATH IS ‘KILLING OF JUSTICE’
Speaking to a regional channel over Akshay Shinde’s death, Asim Sarode, the lawyer for the two minor girls who were sexually assaulted at the school, said Akshay’s killing was the “killing of justice”.
“While representing the two minor girls, I noticed it was becoming uncomfortable for the local politics of the Thane district and even for the educational institution where Akshay Shinde was working. Shinde’s death in such a manner is killing of justice,” Sarode said.
“Now, the case of sexual assault of the two minor girls will get sidelined. The case of these two minor girls was becoming difficult for the educational institute, as it is affiliated with a certain political family,” he added.
“Such a practice would lower the confidence of people in police and the judiciary,” he claimed.
The lawyer also said he will be filing a plea before the Bombay High Court demanding a thorough inquiry into the firing incident.
“Shinde’s case could have brought up certain aspects that would have been negative politically for the government. I wonder how Shinde could access the gun and how he could unlock it when his hands were tied. This is political murder and is absolutely wrong,” he said.
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