CID investigates killing of accused in Badlapur sexual assault case

The Maharashtra Crime Investigation Department (CID) will investigate the death of Akshay Shinde, the accused in the Badlapur sexual assault case, officials said on Tuesday.

A team of forensic experts on Tuesday examined the police vehicle in which Shinde was allegedly shot by a police officer on Monday evening, it said.

Shinde, 24, was accused of sexually abusing two minor girls at a school in Badlapur town in Thane district.

Shinde, a contract cleaner at the school in Badlapur, was arrested on August 17, five days after he allegedly sexually assaulted the two girls in the school toilet.

He was killed near Mumbra Bypass in Thane on Monday night when he allegedly snatched a policeman's gun while he was being driven over in a police vehicle during investigation into a case filed against him on the complaint of his ex-wife, an official said earlier.

After firing at and injuring an API, another officer of the police escort team fired at him and doctors at Kalwa Municipal Hospital declared him dead, the official said.

Since the incident is a death in police custody, it is being investigated by the Maharashtra Crime Branch, a senior official said on Tuesday.

A team of CID officials will visit the spot on Mumbra Bypass where the incident took place, he said, adding that they will also record the statements of the policemen who were in the vehicle at the time.

The CID officials will also record the statements of Akshay Shinde's parents, he said.

Akshay Shinde's body was shifted from Kalwa Civic Hospital in Thane to the government-run JJ Hospital for post-mortem on Tuesday morning.

The autopsy will be carried out behind closed doors and in the presence of medical specialists, the official said.

Akshay Shinde's father Anna Shinde has demanded an investigation into his son's murder.

His family members deny the police's claim that he first shot at a police officer, who then retaliated in self-defense and was killed.