Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said police shot dead Badlapur school sexual assault case accused Akshay Shinde in self-defence.
Akshay Shinde, accused of sexually abusing two minor girls in the school where he worked as an attendant, was being taken to Badlapur from Taloja jail for investigation when he snatched a policeman's gun and fired at an assistant inspector when the police vehicle reached Mumbra bypass.
He was killed in retaliatory firing by a police officer who was part of the escort team.
"Akshay Shinde's ex-wife had accused him of sexual violence and the police was taking him for a probe regarding these allegations. He snatched the gun of a police personnel opened fire. Police fired back in self-defence," CM Shinde told reporters.
However, the incident drew condemnation from the opposition parties who questioned the chain of events and also asked if it was a move to destroy evidence in a case that had triggered national outrage.
"Is it an attempt to destroy evidence? Were Akshay Shinde's hands not tied by the police during the transit? How could he reach for the gun, and how come the police were so careless? We demand a judicial probe in this matter," Leader of Opposition in the assembly Vijay Wadettiwar said.
There is no action against the "BJP-linked" school management but an arrested accused is shot dead in suspicious circumstances, he said, adding "we have no trust in Badlapur police".
Shiv Sena-UBT spokesperson Sushma Andhare equated the incident with the gunning down of four rape accused in Telangana in 2019.
"There too the police claimed it was done in self-defence. However, due to the deaths, the truth never came out. The same will be the case with the Badlapur sexual assault. Was Akshay Shinde killed as he was hiding something more sinister? Why is the school management still on the run," she said.
How come Akshay Shinde managed to snatch a gun despite being handcuffed and how did he know to operate the firearm, Andhare further questioned.
Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the home portfolio, must throw some light on these questions, she said, adding "it shows the state home minister's inability to handle critical cases".