Badlapur encounter: Opposition, kin cry foul play; Fadnavis says don't politicise incident

NEW DELHI: The opposition on Monday tore into the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government after the accused in Badlapur sexual abuse case was killed as he opened fire in police custody. The opposition and family of the accused, both claimed the encounter was fake and demanded a judicial probe.
According to a senior police official, Akshay Shinde managed to snatch a gun from an officer and fired at officer Nilesh More, injuring him in the thigh.In retaliation, another officer returned fire, striking Shinde in the temple. He was critically injured and later succumbed to injuries.
After the encounter, the people of the city, especially women, celebrated by distributing sweets. The celebrating women justified the police encounter and welcomed it and said that today both the girls have actually got justice in the incident.
Briefing on the matter, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the incident should not be politicised.
“The accused was being taken for investigation when he snatched a police gun and fired. Police fired back and got injured and was taken to hospital. As per initial information, he (accused) has succumbed to his injuries. Let the official announcement come," he said.
"Opposition is always raising questions on everything and this is the same opposition who said that the accused should be hanged. What will the police do to defend itself? Such politics should not be done on the issue,” he added.
Meanwhile, the family members alleged that their encounter was fake and the police carried out the encounter as a part of politics.. Akshay's parents met him in Taloja jail this afternoon.
They claimed that their son cannot kill a mosquito, how will he fire at the police?
The leader of opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar raised suspicion about Akshay's encounter and demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident.
"There must be a judicial inquiry into this! Akshay Shinde's shooting is an attempt to destroy evidence?? How exactly did Akshay Shinde shoot? Were the accused Akshay's hands not tied when he was in police custody? How did he get the gun? How can the police be so careless?" Wadettiwar said.
"In the Badlapur case, on one hand, no action is taken against the directors of the institution when they are related to BJP, on the other hand, today the accused Akshay Shinde shot himself, it is very shocking and suspicious. From the beginning we do not believe in the role of the police in the Badlapur case. We demand there must be a judicial inquiry into this matter now!" he added.
Baramati MP Supriya Sule also accused the Maharashtra government of depriving people of Maharashtra of justice and 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.
Akshay was arrested last month for allegedly assaulting two girls, aged four and five, inside the school’s washroom where he worked as an attendant. While in police custody, Shinde reportedly snatched a police officer’s weapon and opened fire on officers. Several police personnel were injured during the attack. Shinde was critically wounded in the retaliatory firing and was rushed to the hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
In response to the growing criticism over the investigation, the Maharashtra government has established a Special Investigation Team to probe the case further. Additionally, the Bombay High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident and is monitoring the investigation.