The death of a Badlapur type attack accused in police custody, has snowballed into a major political controversy in Maharashtra. Akshay Shinde’s family called the incident an “encounter” and demanded justice while the Maharashtra government said the police acted in “self-defence” even as the opposition demanded a judicial inquiry and questioned the chain of events.
Thane police commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre has formed an eight-member inquiry committee to probe the incident, which took place near Mumbra Bypass when the accused was brought to Badlapur from Taloja jail for investigation on Friday (September 23).
The panel will be headed by additional commissioner of police Punjabrao Ugle and will include two deputy commissioners of police, two assistant commissioners of police and two police inspectors.
After the inquest process, Akshay Shinde’s body was taken to JJ Hospital for post-mortem. His mother and uncle alleged that it was a conspiracy by the police and the management of the Badlapur school, where the accused worked as a sweeper and allegedly assaulted two students. His father, Anna Shinde, said an investigation should be carried out into her son’s murder.
Speaking to reporters outside the hospital, Akshay’s mother and uncle questioned the police’s version and insisted that they could not seize the police’s weapons. He claimed that the accused told him that he was beaten in custody and also sent him money to earn money.
“The police have killed our child. The school management should also be investigated. The police asked him to write something but they don’t know what it is,” said the mother. “My son is afraid of bursting crackers and crossing the road. How can you shoot the police?”
Akshay allegedly took a gun from the police when he was being ferried in a police vehicle as part of the probe into the case registered in the complaint of his ex-wife. After shooting and injuring the assistant police inspector, other personnel from the escort team shot him, and he was declared dead by doctors at Kalwa civil hospital.
“I met him yesterday. He was not good at that time. He asked when he would be released, and I said within a month. He told me to send money for food and gave me a number to send. He had a paper in his hand and told me what was written on it. After an hour, he found her,” his mother said.
“He works in a school; I don’t know what happened there. He doesn’t even know how to drive a car, how can he shoot such a big gun? Those who killed my son should also be punished. We want justice,” he added.
What did the Maharashtra government say?
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said Akshay was killed in an exchange of fire in a police vehicle. He said the police shot him dead in self-defense.
“Akshay Shinde’s ex-wife has accused him of sexual violence and the police have taken him for an investigation into the allegations. He grabbed the gun from the police personnel and opened fire. The police fired back in self-defence,” CM Shinde told reporters.
Fadnavis, who is also the home minister, went ahead with the chain of events described by the chief minister and said the police acted in self-defence. “The opposition raises questions on every issue. They want him hanged. It’s wrong to say that when the police are trying to save lives,” he said.
Thane Lok Sabha MP Naresh Mhaske called the incident “natural justice” and accused the opposition of politicking it. He said that the CM and his deputy were committed to maintaining the safety of the citizens, adding that it was the duty of the police to ensure a “clean and crime-free society”.
“Two charges were filed against Shinde, and I was the public prosecutor in the case. With the documents filed, there is enough evidence against Shinde. Maybe that’s why Shinde tried to end his life. We cannot rule out this possibility. The judicial investigation will reveal the truth in this case,” said Ujjwal Nikam, who unsuccessfully contested the 2024 Lok Sabha polls on a BJP ticket.
“Two young girls have identified Akshay Shinde, and the Maharashtra police have collected more evidence against him,” he said, adding that it was inappropriate to draw conclusions.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam said: “The meeting of the accused in the Badlapur incident is good news… Those who are questioning about this meeting, I want to ask whether they stand with the accused or with the Maharashtra police… When it happened. this incident is the people who said that the accused should be punished publicly and today he asked about it… I will request all the opposition leaders to stand with the Maharashtra police instead of crying for the accused…”
What is the opposition?
However, the incident drew condemnation from opposition parties who questioned the chain of events. He questioned whether this was a move to destroy evidence in a case that had sparked national outrage.
“Is this an attempt to destroy evidence? Was Akshay Shinde’s hands not tied by the police during transit? How did he get hold of the gun, and how was the police negligent? We demand a judicial inquiry into this matter,” said Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar.
He said that no action was taken against the management of the BJP-linked school, but the arrested person was shot dead under suspicious circumstances. He added that “we do not trust the Badlapur police”.
In a post on X, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said that the accused should be hanged to death, but what happened to me was reckless and suspicious. This prompted the CM to retaliate saying that the parties were making insensitive statements because they were shocked by the success of the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin plan.
বাদ্ল্পুর্র্রান ন্র্ধাম্ন জে মানান্ষ ক্ট্তা যোল্তায়াতিতিত্যাতিক্যাক্টিক্যা কায়িক্যা. பெயா அயம் பெர்கு ஜே காட்டல் தில்குர்ஜைபைப்புச்குக்குக்குக்கு அை. Those who use the event to make their own lessons, those who seek political self-interest, those who seek their political interests, those who seek their political interests, those who seek their own political interests September 23, 2024
“The accused in Badlapur case deserves to be hanged to death but what happened this evening is reckless and suspicious. Soon people will come forward who will seek political advantage and even go after their own backs. Who is trying to save the director of the school management board? Why don’t they meet? What happened today and they are running away? There should be a neutral inquiry into this,” said Aaditya Thackeray in a post on X.
Hitting back, CM Shinde said, “Earlier, opposition parties demanded Akshay Shinde’s suspension. Now, they are taking sides and questioning the integrity of Maharashtra police. Such behavior of opposition leaders is reprehensible and unfortunate.
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sushma Andhare noted the incident with the murder of four rape accused in Telangana in 2019. However, due to the deaths, the truth did not come out. The same thing will happen with the Badlapur sexual assault. Was Akshay Shinde killed because he was hiding something more sinister? Why is the management of the school still like this,” he said.
Andhare further questioned how Akshay Shinde managed to get hold of the gun despite being handcuffed and how he operated the firearm. Fadnavis should explain the question, he said, adding “it shows the inability of the home minister to handle critical cases”.
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said the incident should be investigated by a High Court judge. “We are demanding a detailed inquiry into the incident by a sitting HC judge so that all the facts come out. No one should be allowed to go free. It is not clear whether the accused were molested or killed. We do not trust this government, which cannot protect children- girl or give justice,” he said, also alleging inefficiency on the part of the Maharashtra police under DGP Rashmi Shukla.
Saying that the accused was killed in cold blood, Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said: “…No one will believe that this was an encounter. This is a black day for Maharashtra police as they used to have a good reputation… I can’t believe Maharashtra police in the present dispensation will can do justice.The real perpetrators of this crime will not be found.People of Maharashtra want to know the truth.
Demanding a thorough investigation into the incident, in a post on X, NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar said, “The accused should be hanged as per the provisions of law, but the action of the Home Department, while transferring him (from Taloja Jail) is questionable.
In Badlapur, the injustice done to two children was done by the law. But the main accused in the incident was transferred by the home department. In the future, such a reprehensible act will not be forgotten in anyone’s mind…— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) September 23, 2024
NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule called the incident “shocking” and said: “The Mahayuti Government’s approach in the Badlapur sexual assault case of two minor girls is shocking! The delay in filing an FIR first, and now the main accused has died in custody! This is absolute breakdown of law enforcement and justice system.This is inexcusable, diminishing justice in Maharashtra.
(With PTI input)
