Badlapur sexual assault accused death: Opposition leaders contradicting themselves, says Ajit Pawar

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday accused Opposition leaders of contradicting themselves vis-a-vis the Badlapur sexual assault case accused, who was killed by police in retaliatory firing.

The accused, Akshay Shinde, died on Monday in retaliatory firing by a police officer after he snatched the pistol of a policeman in a van and opened fire, leaving an assistant inspector injured.

The incident occurred when Shinde was being taken to Badlapur in Thane district from Taloja Jail in Navi Mumbai in a police vehicle.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis stressed that police had fired in self-defence.

"Opposition leaders earlier said women in the state are insecure and demanded capital punishment for Akshay Shinde. Now, when he was killed by police in self-defence, they are doubting the police version. They are contradicting themselves," Pawar said while addressing Nationalist Congress Party workers.

Referring to the protests held in Badlapur last month after Shinde was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two minor girls at a school, Pawar said the Opposition bloc's lone agenda is to blame the government for everything.

Against the backdrop of a vehicle rally led by AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city to Mumbai, Pawar said everyone should maintain communal harmony, especially when Maratha and Dhangar communities are agitating for reservations.

"Using undignified language and making statements to show anger is not good," he said apparently referring to provocative remarks made by BJP MLA Nitesh Rane against a religious community.

Jaleel led a rally to Mumbai on Monday demanding action against Rane. He returned from Mumbai's border after handing memorandums to officials.

"Some people make certain statements to derive political mileage and increase self-importance. Democracy gives us freedom of expression but some people misuse it. Overall, the law is same for everyone," Pawar said without taking names.

He said the Mahayuti government is making concerted efforts to resolve the quota issues. "The government is positive about finding a solution over the quota issue".

Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange and OBC leader Laxman Hake are separately observing fast for demands concerning their respective communities.