Thane (Maharashtra) [India], September 24 : Thane Police on Tuesday said that an investigation is underway to probe into Monday's incident in which the Badlapur school sexual abuse accused died in retaliatory firing by police.
"The accused was being brought from Taloja Central Jail when he opened fire on the police with their revolver...The investigation is underway...," the Thane police PRO Shailesh Salvi said addressing a press conference today.
"We have filed a death case for the accused, and the rest of the investigation of the firing and other things is currently underway," he said.
The 23-year-old Akshay Shinde died in retaliatory fire at the Mumbra bypass on September 23 when he was being taken from Taloja jail to Badlapur for an investigation into a case filed by his ex-wife.
Salvi said, "A case of sexual assault with a minor was registered and accused Akshay Anna Shinde was arrested...Another case was filed against him by his wife as well. A special team was constituted for the same. The special team took a transfer warrant from the court and when the accused was being brought to Taloja Central Jail, he opened fire on the police with their revolver...The investigation is underway..."
An FIR has also been registered at the Mumbra police station against the accused, who worked as a janitor at the school, on charges of attempt to murder for opening fire at police officers.
According to information received from Thane Police, Shinde snatched the weapon from a police official and opened fire on him during a bid to escape police custody. He was taken to hospital where he died. Shinde's body was transferred from Kalwa Civic Hospital in Thane to the JJ Hospital for a post-mortem on Tuesday.
Shinde's death has sparked a controversy between the ruling Mahayuti government and the opposition in Maharashtra which is headed for Assembly polls later this year. Shinde, was arrested on August 17, five days after he allegedly sexually abused the two girls in the school toilet.
On September 20, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted for investigation had filed charge sheets in a special POCSO court in Badlapur, as per the police. The first charge sheet in this case was filed on September 16 this week, and the second charge sheet was filed on September 19.
The special investigation team filed two separate charge sheets because both the incidents were of different dates, and thus there were two separate FIRs against the same set of accused in both cases. According to police sources, charge sheets filed in both cases are against the same set of accused Akshay Shinde and others. Both the chargesheets are nearly 500 pages each, and in both cases, there is sufficient evidence against the accused, claims the official.
Detailing the evidence submitted with the charge sheet, officials said that apart from multiple statements from the witnesses related to this case, there is technical and medical evidence strongly supporting the police case.