Is this 'balatkari bachao alliance'?: BJP slams I.N.D.I.A. for 'mourning death' of Badlapur rapist in 'encounter'

BJP national spokesperson Sehzad Poonawalla on Tuesday released a video wherein he slammed members of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc for 'mourning the death' of the Badlapur sexual assault accused, Akshay Shinde, who was shot to death in what police officials are claiming to be 'retaliatory firing'.

In his video, Poonawalla said, "Badlapur sexual assault accused Akshay Shinde died after being shot at by police in retaliatory firing. On one hand, Maharashtra and Badlapur have taken a sigh of relief whereas on the other hand parties of the INDI alliance are mourning the death of a rapist."

He went on to ask, Is this a "balatkari bachao alliance?"

He further added, "In the RG Kar Medical College & Hospital rape-murder incident they tried to save the accused...They tried to protect the accused Moeed Khan in the Ayodhya gangrape case...Some leaders of the Congress party and INDI alliance have started speaking in favour of rapists...This is very shameful".

Shiv Sena workers were spotted distributing sweets at Badlapur station on Tuesday, a day after the accused's death came to light.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said police shot dead Badlapur school sexual assault case accused 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.

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".

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said the incident must be probed by a sitting High Court judge. "We demand a detailed inquiry into the incident by a sitting HC judge so that all the facts come out. No one should be allowed to go scot-free. It is not clear whether the accused committed suicide or was killed. We do not trust this government, which cannot protect girls or give them justice," he said.

He also alleged inefficiency on the part of the Maharashtra police under DGP Rashmi Shukla.

Shinde's family too has also demanded a probe into the matter and claimed his killing was an encounter.

With PTI inputs