Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut and former cabinet minister Aaditya Thackeray have targeted the state government over the police encounter of Akshay Shinde, who was accused in the Badlapur child sexual abuse case. Sanjay Raut alleged that there must be sensational information in the police statement regarding Shinde, suggesting that this is why he was killed in the encounter.
"The encounter of the first Shinde (the accused) was executed by the police. Now, citizens will conduct an encounter of the second Shinde (CM)," Raut stated. Furthermore, Aaditya Thackeray is seeking action against school trustees and local BJP MLA Waman Mhatre, who verbally abused a woman journalist.
The political climate in the state has become heated following the encounter of Akshay Shinde. Opposition parties are harshly criticised the government, alleging that it was a staged encounter. Raut, while speaking to the media, asserted that the encounter was executed to protect other accused individuals in the case. He questioned, "If the trustees of the school have done nothing wrong, then why was the CCTV footage from the past 15 days removed?".
When the Badlapur child abuse incident occurred, residents protested, demanding that Akshay Shinde be handed over to them. However, CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis claimed their government is law-abiding and could not hand Shinde over to a mob. Both assured that the case would be expedited through a fast-track court to deliver swift justice to the victims. Raut further asked, "If the case is to be tried in a fast-track court, then why was the accused killed in the encounter?"
He also questioned how a 24-year-old accused, who was known to clean toilets, could overpower the police and snatch their weapons. "Who trained him?" he demanded.
Aaditya Thackeray raised several additional questions regarding the encounter. He asked, "Where are the trustees of the Badlapur school? Why are they being protected by the BJP-Mindhe regime? What about Mindhe’s local ally, Waman Mhatre, who questioned a journalist, asking why she was probing the incident as if she herself had been raped? Why is he being protected? Will the cases against the citizens who protested be dropped? They were treated like gangsters for simply protesting against the police's refusal to file a complaint from the victim for a week. Who was the police station protecting? It is understood that the trustees of the school have affiliations with the BJP. Is this true? Will the regime provide answers?".
In response, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar defended the police and supported the encounter. He stated, "Akshay Shinde was a pervert, and the entire Badlapur community was outraged after the incident. The opposition is shouting that women are unsafe in the state, but that pervert Akshay Shinde snatched a pistol and fired at the police, resulting in his death during retaliation. The police acted in self-defense. While I do not support extrajudicial killings, an inquiry will be conducted, but the opposition is politicizing this issue. The deceased Akshay Shinde's wife has also stated that he was of a perverse mindset."
BJP Mumbai president Ashish Shelar condemned the opposition's stance, saying, "The police shot Akshay Shinde, but the true encounter is with the opposition. They should understand the trauma experienced by young girls."
