Badlapur encounter controversy: Opposition ask how can hancuffed person shoot!

The death of Akshay Shinde, the accused in the Badlapur school sexual assault case, while in police custody has sparked a political firestorm between the ruling Mahayuti government and the Opposition in Maharashtra. Shinde was killed in retaliatory police firing while being transported from Taloja jail to Badlapur. The incident has intensified political tensions ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in the state, with allegations of a cover-up since the school in question is owned by a BJP leader.

According to police reports, Shinde, a sweeper at the Badlapur school where he allegedly sexually abused two girls, attempted to seize Assistant Police Inspector Nilesh More's pistol while being escorted. He reportedly fired at the police team, injuring three officers, leading to his death in retaliatory fire. However, the Opposition has raised serious questions about the credibility of this sequence of events.

Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh cast doubt on the police's version, stating, "How can a handcuffed person fire a bullet? The school is owned by a BJP leader, and this case has been suspicious from the start." Deshmukh demanded an investigation by a retired High Court judge to determine the truth behind Shinde’s death.

Similarly, NCP MP Supriya Sule condemned the incident, calling it a failure of the state's law enforcement and justice systems, while Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan went as far as to label it a "black day for Maharashtra Police" and alleged that Shinde was "murdered in cold blood."

Shinde’s family also questioned the police’s narrative, with his mother, Alka Shinde, asserting that her son was killed as part of a larger conspiracy, given his timid nature.

In response, the ruling Mahayuti government accused the Opposition of politicizing the issue for electoral gain. Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske criticized the Opposition's stance, pointing out that these same leaders had earlier called for Shinde's execution but were now defending him.