Badlapur Sexual Assault Accused Akshay Shinde Shot Dead; 7 Key Takeaways From The Case

In retaliation, another officer shot back at Shinde, resulting in fatal injuries. Below are important details regarding the case that you should be aware of.

Badlapur Sexual Assualt Case: 7 Key Takeaways

1) Last month, massive protests broke out on the streets and at a nearby train station when Shinde reportedly sexually abused two underage girls in the school bathroom in Badlapur, Thane district, Maharashtra. On August 1, 2024, the school hired Shinde, 23, on a contract basis to clean their toilets. However, within ten days after joining, he reportedly sexually assaulted two females on separate days.

According to the Hindustan Times, the parents of one of the two nursery students who was sexually abused learnt about the awful act only when the parents of the other nursery student informed them that they would file a police report.

2) What was even more shocking, the parents stated, was the police's significant delay in filing the first information report (FIR). Although the sexual assault occurred on August 13, 2024, the police did not file the case until August 16, 2024. Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra's deputy chief minister, directed the Thane Police Commissioner to immediately remove the senior police inspector, assistant sub-inspector, and head constable of Badlapur police station for delaying action in the early stages of the Badlapur event.

3) A massive protest erupted in Thane over the sexual assault, with demonstrators accusing the school of attempting to cover up the incident. Thousands of protesters gathered at the local train station in Badlapur, effectively blocking rail traffic. Parents and other participants in the protest demanded the death penalty for the 23-year-old accused.

4) Lawyer Ujjwal Nikam, a Padma Shri awardee known for his work on high-profile murder and terrorism cases, including the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, has been appointed as the special public prosecutor for the case. According to Hindustan Times, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde pledged to take action against the school and expedite the legal proceedings. The state government has also mandated that all schools install CCTV cameras within a month. The state government announced that schools that fail to comply with this directive within the specified timeframe will have their licences revoked.

5) Eknath Shinde has also suggested several measures to enhance school safety and prevent future incidents of abuse. These include the installation of complaint boxes in every school and increasing scrutiny of staff members who frequently interact with students. Additionally, the government has established a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the case.

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6) Akshay Shinde was shot dead by police after he seized an officer’s weapon and opened fire at them, resulting in injuries to two police officials. According to the police, as reported by Hindustan Times, the incident occurred around 5:30 PM while Shinde was being transported from jail in a police vehicle. During the exchange of gunfire, multiple shots were fired, leading to injuries among the police officers involved.

7) Hours after Shinde was killed, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that Akshay was shot in self-defence.

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Speaking to reporters on Monday, Chief Minister Shinde explained, as per News18, “Akshay Shinde's ex-wife had accused him of sexual violence, and the police were transporting him for an investigation into these allegations. He grabbed the weapon of a police officer and opened fire, prompting the police to return fire in self-defence.”

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Credits: Freepik