Badlapur encounter: Sex abuse accused killed over politics, claim kin

THANE: The family of the deceased Badlapur school sexual assault case accused has questioned the police over the encounter. They alleged that the police did not kill their son in an encounter but murdered him for political reasons.
His mother said she and her husband met him in Taloja jail at 3.30pm on Monday. She said her son asked when he would be released on bail as chargesheets had been filed and gave her the mobile number of the person who operates the jail canteen so that she can send him money for good food.
She told TOI: “When my son is demanding money in jail and asking about his bail in the case, how will he fire at a policeman?” She said when she met him in jail, she found a white paper in his hand. When she asked him about it, he said some prisoner had given it to him, and she asked him to tear it. His family alleged police killed their son for political reasons and have demanded a probe “to get justice”.
The sexual assault took place in the school toilet on Aug 12 and five days later the accused was arrested. A massive protest followed the arrest with local citizens blocking the tracks on Aug 20 disrupting train services for over 10 hours. They demanded street justice by way of hanging him in public.
Govt promised to try the case in a fast track court but it fell on deaf ears. Later, police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the crowd. The protesters also vandalised the school.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)