The prime accused in the Badlapur rape case, Akshay Shinde, was killed in a police encounter on Monday evening.
Shinde allegedly grabbed a policeman’s gun and was shot at in return fire, resulting in his death. During the incident, another policeman was also injured and both were taken to a hospital in Kalwe town for treatment.
The police reported that the encounter occurred while Shinde was being transferred from Taloja Jail to Badlapur town for investigation in another case. As the police jeep entered Thane Police jurisdiction, Shinde reportedly snatched a policeman’s gun and fired at himself and the police, leading to a scuffle and grievous injuries. Shinde and the injured policeman were rushed to a nearby hospital, and further details are awaited.
The ruling Mahayuti regime faced strong criticism from the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders, who demanded a probe into the circumstances of the incident. Leaders such as Vijay Wadettiwar and Sushma Andhare raised serious concerns and called for a CBI investigation into the episode.
On August 12-13, Shinde allegedly sexually assaulted two minor girls, aged three and five, in the Adarsh Vidya Prasarak Sanstha (AVPS) premises, sparking nationwide outrage and massive public protests in Badlapur.
The incident garnered attention from national and state leaders, resulting in Shinde’s arrest and the appointment of a Special Public Prosecutor and a Special Investigation Team to probe the case.
