Horror in Badlapur: Accused Akshay Shinde shot dead while defending himself after opening fire on police

In a new and shocking revelation in the Badlapur sexual assault case, the main accused Akshay Shinde succumbed to his injuries after he snatched the gun from the policemen and opened fire on them, following which the police fired retaliatory shots and shot at the accused, Thane police said, according to news agency ANI.

The accused Akshay Shinde succumbed to his injuries after being admitted to the hospital, Thane police said. Shinde tried to escape from police custody.

Two young girls, both four years old, were sexually abused in the toilet of a school in Maharashtra. The accused, who worked as a teacher at the school, was arrested shortly after.

According to a preliminary report, the kindergarten children were repeatedly abused for 15 days, resulting in serious injuries.

Accused Shinde has also been described as a repeat offender in some other reports. He was hired as a contract worker without proper verification and had unrestricted access to various parts of the school, including the ladies' toilets.

Last month, Shinde was remanded in custody in connection with the Badlapur sexual assault case.

Watch | Rise in POCSO cases in Mumbai after sexual assault in Badlapur

The incident led to large protests in the city, with protesters even turning violent, prompting police to use force.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde claimed that these protests were politically motivated and most of the participants were outsiders.

The report also pointed out several loopholes on the part of school authorities, including delays in reporting the incident and failure to conduct a background check before hiring the accused.

Even after the complaint was filed, the school administration did not meet with the parents and it took the hospital 12 hours to provide medical care to the children.

(With contributions from agencies)