BREAKING: Akshay Shinde, Accused In Badlapur Sexual Abuse Case Killed In Exchange of Fire

Badlapur: Akshay Shinde, the main accused in the Badlapur sexual abuse case shot himself after snatching a revolver from a police official as he was being taken to custody on Monday.

The alleged sexual assault case caused outrage across the  Maharashtra , with multiple protests demonstrating outrage over the incident being held across the country. 

Accused Snatched Weapon From Police Official

Thane Police said that the accused snatched the police's weapon and opened fire on the police in the vehicle. 

“Police officers were also injured in this, Akshay Shinde was shot in the police retaliatory firing. He has been admitted to the hospital in a serious condition,” police said. 

Earlier this week, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted in Badlapur school sexual harassment cases with two minor girls filed its charge sheets in a special POCSO court in Badlapur. 

The first charge sheet in this case was filed on Monday this week, and the second charge sheet was filed on Thursday.

SIT submitted two separate charge sheets due to the incidents occurring on different dates, leading to two distinct FIRs against the same group of accused. 

According to police, both chargesheets mention names of Akshay Shinde and others, with each document comprising nearly 500 pages. An official stated that there is substantial evidence against the accused in both cases.

Earlier in August, police arrested an attendant of the school for allegedly abusing the girls.

Highlighting the need to bring a change in the mindset of the male gender, the Bombay High Court said on August 27 said that boys need to be educated about gender equality from a young age.

What Did HC Say? 

At a hearing on the Badlapur sexual assault case, the court said, "We always talk about girls. We don't tell boys what is right and what is wrong. We need to change the mentality of boys, teach them to respect women."

High Court Expresses Displeasure with Police Investigation

Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Prithviraj Chavan observed that male dominance and chauvinism persist in society and emphasized the need to educate boys about appropriate behavior from an early age. The Court proposed forming a committee to examine the issue and develop rules and guidelines for schools to help prevent such incidents. Additionally, the Court reiterated its dissatisfaction with the Badlapur Police's handling of the initial investigation, criticizing their lack of sensitivity.

Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has said that it would conduct the identification parade of the accused in the Badlapur sexual assault cas After the identification of the accused, SIT will also prepare a psychological profile of the accused, which will help in further investigation of the case.