Akshay Shinde, the accused in the shocking Badlapur sexual assault case involving two young nursery school girls, was fatally shot by a police officer on Tuesday. The incident, which occurred while Shinde was in custody, has sparked controversy and raised questions about the circumstances surrounding his death.
The police claim that Shinde, a 23-year-old contractual sweeper at the school, attempted to escape custody by snatching a policeman’s gun and firing, injuring an assistant police inspector. In response, Senior Inspector Sanjay Shinde, known for his involvement in high-profile cases, including the arrest of Dawood Ibrahim’s brother, Iqbal Kaskar, reportedly retaliated, resulting in Akshay’s death.
However, the accused’s family has challenged the police narrative, disputing that Akshay could have fired at the officers. They claim he was pressured to confess to the rape charges and that the police fabricated the shooting incident. “My son was afraid of bursting crackers and crossing the road. How can he shoot at policemen? The police also got the confessional statement written by him under pressure. What he was made to write, only he knows,” Akshay’s mother and uncle told reporters.
This incident has brought into sharp focus the controversial history of Sanjay Shinde, who has been involved in previous investigations where questions were raised about his conduct. In 2012, he was subject to an inquiry after an accused in two murder cases, Vijay Palande, escaped from police custody while Sanjay’s uniform was found in the vehicle used for the escape. He also faced scrutiny for an incident involving a drunken altercation with another officer at a bar.
The Badlapur rape case itself has sent shockwaves through the community, with the arrest of Akshay on August 17, five days after the alleged sexual assault. The circumstances surrounding Akshay’s death are now under investigation, with the focus likely to be on the police’s version of events and the validity of their claims. This tragic incident highlights the ongoing debate surrounding police brutality and the need for transparency and accountability in law enforcement.
