Cop Who Shot Badlapur Suspect Akshay Shinde Had Worked With Encounter Specialist Pradeep Sharma

Akshay Shinde, the man accused of allegedly sexually assaulting two four-year-old girls in Maharashtra's Badlapur last month, was killed in a dramatic shootout. This incident occurred while Shinde was being transferred from Taloja jail to Badlapur for an investigation related to a case filed by his former wife.

According to officials, the situation escalated when Shinde allegedly managed to disarm a policeman, injuring an assistant police inspector in the process. In response, another officer from the escort team opened fire, resulting in Shinde's immediate death upon arrival at Kalwa civic hospital.

The circumstances of Shinde's death have led to the involvement of Maharashtra's Crime Investigation Department (CID), which is set to conduct a thorough investigation. This decision came after a team of forensic experts examined the police vehicle where the shootout occurred.

Given the gravity of a death occurring in police custody, the CID has planned to visit the site of the incident, gather statements from the officers present during the event, and speak with Shinde's parents. Furthermore, an in-depth post-mortem examination of Shinde's body, conducted at the state-run JJ Hospital under the careful observation of expert doctors, is part of the investigative process.

Akshay Shinde's arrest on August 17 came after allegations surfaced of him sexually abusing two girls in a school toilet in Badlapur, where he worked as a contractual sweeper. His death has sparked controversy and calls for justice, particularly from his family, who dispute the police's version of events. They argue against the claim that Shinde fired at the police first, prompting them to retaliate in what they describe as self-defence.

Sanjay Shinde, the police inspector who fatally shot Akshay Shinde, has a history of working in high-stress scenarios, including a stint with the now-suspended 'encounter specialist' Pradeep Sharma. India Today revealed that Sanjay Shinde once served in the anti-extortion cell of the Thane Police Crime Branch, under Sharma's leadership. This team was notable for apprehending Iqbal Kaskar, the brother of infamous gangster Dawood Ibrahim. Sanjay Shinde's career also includes a period of suspension and inquiry following the escape of murder accused Vijay Palande from police custody. Despite this setback, Sanjay Shinde was reinstated to the Mumbai Police in 2014 and is currently assigned to a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Badlapur rape case.

Pradeep Sharma, with whom Sanjay Shinde previously collaborated, was renowned in the Mumbai Police for his role in eliminating over 100 criminals. His career peaked in the 1990s during the crackdown on the Mumbai underworld. However, Sharma's legacy was tarnished following his conviction and life sentence for the fake encounter of Lakhan Bhaiya, allegedly a former associate of Chhota Rajan.