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‘Shocking, raises suspicion’: Opposition on Badlapur sexual assault accused shot dead by cops
The accused in Badlapur sexual assault case was shot dead after he snatched a police officer's revolver, sparking a gunfight.
The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi on Monday slammed the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government after the Badlapur sexual assault case accused was gunned down in an encounter near Thane.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi dubbed it “incompetence” of the Mahayuti government, adding the co-accused in the case are on the run, and said that the entire altercation is a “story written by the state government.”
Posting on X, the Rajya Sabha MP said, “The accused is dead and the other Co accused under POCSO who were the school board members as well as BJP office bearers are on the run. Such a textbook case of shoot and scoot tactics applied by incompetent government.”
“Coming soon, nobody sexually assaulted the 6 year olds. A story written, sponsored and executed by the state government,” Chaturvedi added.
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey said. "...The Home Minister & Police should form an SIT to probe the matter as there are many doubts. The govt and Police should clarify and tell the public what happened..."
Read more: Eknath Shinde on Badlapur sexual assault case accused shot dead by cops: ‘Self defence’
On Monday evening, Akshay Shinde, accused of sexually assaulting two minor girls in Badlapur, snatched a police officer's weapon and opened fire on the cops, injuring one officer. Shinde was injured in police firing, and later succumbed to his injuries.
Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan claimed the “encounter” was done to save “some other” people.
Maharashtra assembly Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar demanded a judicial probe in the matter, while state Congress chief Nana Patole questioned whether the “encounter” was done to save trustees of the school who have not been arrested so far.
Saying that the incident “raises suspicion”, NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar posted on X, "The injustice done to two children in Badlapur should have rightly resulted in the death penalty within the appropriate legal framework. However, the negligence shown by the Home Department while transferring the main accused in this case raises suspicions. It seems the government has failed to instill enough fear of the law to prevent anyone from even imagining such a heinous act in the future. A thorough investigation into this incident is expected to bring the truth to light."
NCP MP Supriya Sule slammed the Mahayuti government and said, “The Mahayuti Government's approach to the Badlapur sexual assault case of two minor girls is shocking! Delay in the filing of FIR first, and now the prime accused is killed in custody! This is an absolute breakdown of law enforcement and justice system. This is inexcusable, it deprives the people of Maharashtra of justice.”
Accused Akshay Shinde's uncle told a Marathi TV channel that he met his nephew at Taloja jail on Monday and was told that police were beating him up regularly.
Shinde was hired by a government school in Badlapur to clean the toilets. He was accused of sexually assaulting two minor girls in the washroom of the school, a case which sparked widespread protests across the state. The alleged assaults took place on August 12 and Shinde was arrested by the police on August 17.
(With inputs from PTI, ANI)
