Badlapur sex assault accused killed | ‘How can handcuffed man…’: Opposition questions Maharashtra police

The Maharashtra government will hand over the probe into the encounter killing of the Badlapur sexual assault accused, Akshay Shinde, to the Crime Investigation Department (CID). The opposition, meanwhile, has questioned the police's version of the alleged encounter.

Shinde, 24, who was arrested for sexually assaulting two minor girls at a school in Badlapur, was shot dead on Monday night by the police after he allegedly snatched a pistol from police personnel and fired at them. The incident took place when he was being ferried in a police vehicle as part of a probe into a case registered against him by his former wife.

A team of CID officials will visit the spot at Mumbra bypass where the incident took place and record statements of police personnel.

NCP (SP) Kalwa-Mumbra MLA Jitendra Awhad termed the police's version as "baseless".

"How can a handcuffed accused snatch the revolver of a policeman and fire at him, when five more policemen are around," he said.

Also read: 'Balatkari bachao alliance': BJP attacks INDIA Bloc over Badlapur accused encounter

Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh said how was it possible for a man in handcuffs to snatch a gun and fire at the police? He also said that the school was owned by a BJP leader.

"When both the hands of Akshay Shinde were tied, how could he fire the bullet? The school in question is owned by a BJP leader. There have been attempts from the beginning to suppress this incident and the matter has been closed by the encounter. This incident should be investigated by a retired High Court judge," Deshmukh told India Today.

Also read: Badlapur sexual assault: Shinde's mother refutes Thane cops' version of encounter killing

Family raises doubts

The family members of the man also raised doubts about the encounter.

"It is wrong to say that he first snatched the gun of a policeman and fired at him, and later the police fired at him in self-defence," Shinde's mother and uncle told reporters on Monday night.

They claimed the police got him to sign a "confessional statement".

The parents also claimed that Akshay had told them that he was being beaten by the police in custody.

Akshay's mother claimed that her son was "afraid of bursting crackers and crossing the road. How can he shoot at policemen?"

With inputs from PTI