Accused of sexual assault of two minors in Badlapur, shot dead.

24-year-old Akshay Shinde, accused of sexually assaulting two minor girls at school in Badlapur, was shot dead by the Thane Police on Monday after the accused snatched the gun from the police and opened fire.

To investigate the freshly filed sexual assault case by his ex-wife, the Thane Crime Branch visited Taloja Jail at 05:30 PM to take Mr. Shinde into custody. However, an hour later, when they reached Mumbra Bypass, he snatched a gun from a constable and shot at him, injuring him.

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In self-defence, the police took him down before taking him to the hospital. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis confirmed the death of Akshay Shinde. He said, “He opened fire at police personnel and also in the air. Police fired at him in self-defence. The preliminary information we have is that he has died. Doctors are yet to announce it.”

This encounter happened months before the Maharashtra Election. The opposition calls for an investigation to find the legitimacy of this encounter as they claim it’s the Maharashtra government’s effort to have an easy way out without getting the school trustees involved. 

 Sharad Pawar criticised the encounter, “The negligence of the Home Department in transferring the main accused is questionable. It appears the government has beciome weak in upholding the law, allowing space for such heinous acts. A thorough investigation is needed to uncover the truth,” he said.

Akshay Shinde was arrested on August 17, five days after he allegedly sexually abused the two girls in the school toilet.