Badlapur Sex Assault Accused Shot Dead In Police Van After Opening Fire On Cop, Opposition Demands Probe

Akshay Shinde, the accused in the alleged sexual abuse of two four-year-old girls in Maharashtra’s Badlapur last month, was killed in an exchange of fire inside a police vehicle on Monday, according to multiple media reports. A policeman too was injured in the incident.

The dramatic incident unfolded near Mumbra Bypass around 6:30pm, when Shinde was being taken to Badlapur from Taloja jail for investigation. On the way, he allegedly snatched the service revolver of assistant police inspector Nilesh More and fired three shots, according to a News18 Marathi report. It said one of the bullets hit More’s leg, while the other two were off target. The policeman retaliated. An inspector, who too was in the van, fired back at Shinde in self-defence.

Shinde and More both were taken to a hospital. Shinde died there of his injuries, news agency ANI reported, citing police sources in Thane. Police have yet to confirm Shinde’s death.

Shinde was arrested on August 17 after the girls’ parents pressed for a formal complaint despite an initial delay in filing the FIR.

The police had said that Shinde abused the two girls in the toilet of the school on August 12. He was working as a cleaner on contract via a third-party company and was employed on August 1.

The Badlapur police were initially probing the case, but the Maharashtra government set up a special investigation team (SIT) following a public outcry over serious lapses in the police investigation.

Massive protests took place in Badlapur where thousands of protesters flocked to the local train station and blocked the movement of trains, demanding the death penalty for the accused.

Cops Acted in Self-defence: CM & Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis said police shot dead Shinde in self-defence.

Hitting back at opposition over “fake encounter” allegations, CM Shinde said, “Earlier, the opposition parties demanded that Akshay Shinde be hanged. Now, they are taking his side and questioning the integrity of Maharashtra police. Such act of the opposition leaders is condemnable and unfortunate.”

Fadnavis said police opened fire in self-defence, leading to Akshay Shinde’s death. He also said the police was taking him to Badlapur to probe allegations made by his ex-wife.

“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,” the Deputy CM said while seconding the chain of events described by the CM.

Oppn Says Shinde Killed In Fake Encounter

The incident snowballed into a controversy with the opposition saying that Shinde was killed in a “fake encounter” and demanded a judicial probe.

Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar demanded a judicial enquiry into the incident. He said that the incident in which Shinde died is very shocking and suspicious.

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole also demanded a judicial probe, questioning whether there is an attempt to save the absconding accused by killing the main accused in encounter.

Former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh questioned the incident and termed it as “fake encounter”.

Baramati Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule said that the incident shows there is an “absolute breakdown of law enforcement and justice system”.

“The Mahayuti Government’s approach to the Badlapur sexual assault case of two minor girls is shocking! Delay in the filing of FIR first, and now the prime accused is killed in custody! This is an absolute breakdown of law enforcement and justice system. This is inexcusable, it deprives the people of Maharashtra of justice,” she wrote on X.