Thane: In a shocking turn of events, Akshay Shinde, the prime accused in the case involving sexual assault of two minor girls in a school in Badlapur, Thane district, died during an exchange of fire with the police on Monday.
Assistant Police Inspector Nilesh More, who was part of the escort team, sustained gun-shot wounds and is undergoing treatment.
The incident took place near the Mumbra Bypass when he was being escorted from Taloja Jail to Thane.
Shinde (23) was rushed to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital at Kalwa, where he was pronounced dead on admission.
He was being escorted by police for investigations in a sexual assault case filed by his wife.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the state Home Minister, confirmed that the accused was killed in retaliatory fire by the police.
“When he was being escorted, he snatched the firearm of a police personnel and shot him, injuring him in the process. In retaliatory fire by the escort team, he sustained gunshot wounds,” said the CM.
“The preliminary information that I have is that the accused died in the retaliatory fire by the police,” said Fadnavis.
Shinde was hired on a contractual basis to clean their toilets on August 1. But within 10 days of joining, he allegedly sexually assaulted two nursery girls on different days.
After people came and staged protests at the Badlapur suburban station, police lodged an FIR.
Later, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to investigate the matter, and it has filed chargesheets in both cases before the special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act court in Kalyan.
“I am not aware of what exactly has happened. I am not in Mumbai,” said Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi opposition launched a scathing attack at the Maha Yuti dispensation raising doubts over the encounter.
Asked about the opposition criticism, CM Shinde said that it was the same opposition which demanded that Akshay Shinde be hanged till death.
Published 23 September 2024, 13:47 IST