Political slugfest over custodial death of Badlapur school sexual assault accused

Badlapur school sexual assault accused death: The custodial death of Akshay Shinde, the accused in the Badlapur school sexual assault case, has sparked a fierce political battle between the ruling Mahayuti government and the Opposition in Maharashtra. Akshay Shinde’s death, which occurred while he was being transferred from Taloja jail to Badlapur, has raised questions, with the Opposition claiming it was an attempt to destroy evidence since the school where the assault took place is reportedly owned by a BJP leader.

Akshay Shinde, who was a sweeper at the school and accused of sexually abusing two minor girls, was killed in police firing. The police allege that during transit, Shinde managed to seize a pistol from Assistant Police Inspector Nilesh More and opened fire on the officials escorting him, injuring three cops. He was then shot dead by the police in what they describe as retaliatory action.

Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh expressed doubts about the police's version of events. He questioned how Shinde, who was reportedly handcuffed, could have fired a weapon. “With both hands tied, how is it possible for him to open fire? The school is linked to a BJP leader, and from the beginning, there have been attempts to cover up this incident. This encounter seems to be an attempt to close the case, and I demand an investigation by a retired High Court judge,” Deshmukh said.

NCP MP Supriya Sule criticised the incident as a failure of the law enforcement and justice system, while Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan called it a "black day for Maharashtra Police." Chavan further claimed that Shinde was murdered in cold blood and urged the Supreme Court Chief Justice, who was in Mumbai at the time, to initiate an inquiry. He also expressed doubts that the current government would allow a fair investigation into the case.

The family of the accused has also raised concerns, suggesting that Shinde’s death was the result of a larger conspiracy. "My son was afraid of even bursting firecrackers. How could he fire at policemen?" asked Shinde’s mother, Alka Shinde.

Ruling party hits back at Opposition’s 'double standards'

The ruling Mahayuti coalition, however, accused the Opposition of hypocrisy, pointing out that earlier they had demanded strict punishment, including the death penalty, for Akshay Shinde. Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske criticised Opposition leaders for politicising the incident without considering the police officials who were injured during the altercation.

Mhaske said, "The police were attacked, yet the Opposition is now sympathising with the accused. Have they even bothered to check on the condition of the injured officers? The same leaders who once demanded the hanging of Akshay Shinde are now questioning the police's actions."

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also condemned the Opposition’s stance, denying any political motives behind the encounter. He stated that the allegations were an attempt to overshadow his government’s successful Ladki Bahin scheme. "Such accusations are baseless and unfortunate. The Opposition is simply rattled by the success of our initiatives," he remarked.