Mumbai | The man accused of sexually assaulting two girls at a school in Badlapur town of Maharashtra died in retaliatory firing by police after he snatched a cop’s gun and opened fire, an official said on Monday.
Akshay Shinde, who worked as a sweeper in the school, snatched the revolver of one of the policemen taking him from Taloja jail to Badlapur on Monday, the official said.
He was rushed to a hospital in Kalwa where he succumbed to his injuries, the official said. An assistant police inspector, injured in the firing by Shinde, is undergoing treatment at the hospital, he added.
When the vehicle reached near Mumbra bypass, Shinde snatched the revolver of one of the officers in the vehicle and fired two to three rounds, injuring the officer. In response, another officer opened fire on Shinde, injuring him.
Massive protests erupted on streets and at local railway station last month after two minor girls were allegedly sexually assaulted by Shinde at the toilet of the school in Thane district.
The school had appointed 23-year-old Shinde on a contractual basis to clean their toilets on August 1.
The two minors were allegedly abused in the school toilet on August 12. The accused was arrested on August 17.
On September 3, the Bombay High Court told the police to build a "watertight" case and do not file a charge sheet hurriedly under public pressure.
Opposition leaders expressed shock over the “encounter” and called for a detailed probe into the incident.
Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan claimed the “encounter” was done to save “some other” people.
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Vijay Wadettiwar said, “This is shocking. There should be a judicial probe into this incident.”
Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole wondered if this “encounter” was done to save trustees of the school who have not been arrested so far.
Akshay’s uncle told a Marathi TV channel that he met Akshay at Taloja jail on Monday and was told that police were beating him up on a regular basis.
Encounter by police, claim mother, uncle of Badlapur sexual assault case accusedThane | The mother and uncle of Badlapur sexual assault case accused Akshay Shinde, who was shot dead by police on Monday evening, termed the incident as an "encounter" and sought justice.
Shinde was killed near Mumbra Bypass around 6:15pm when he allegedly snatched the gun of a policeman while he was being ferried in a police vehicle as part of a probe into a case registered on the complaint of his former wife.
After he shot and injured an API, another personnel from the escort team fired at him, and he was declared dead by doctors at Kalwa civil hospital.
Speaking to reporters outside the hospital, his kin alleged it was a conspiracy by the police and management of the Badlapur school.
Shinde had told kin he was being beaten up police in custody and he had also sent a chit seeking money, they claimed.
Shinde's mother and uncle questioned the police version and 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," the kin further alleged.
