Badlapur Accused Encounter:  A political row erupted in Maharashtra on Monday after the Badlapur school sexual assault accused was killed in a police encounter, while he was taken to the town in connection with a separate case filed by his former wife. While Chief Minister Eknath Shinde claimed it was an act of 'self-defence', opposition parties slammed the incompetence of the police officers involved and demanded an enquiry.

Akshay Shinde, 23, was accused of raping two nursery girls at a Badlapur school. His arrest on August 17, triggered massive outrage with people demanding him to be publicly hanged. After the initial cases of sexual assault of the minor girls, a second FIR was lodged against Shinde after his wife, who left him five days after their marriage, accused him of 'rape and assault'.

Badlapur Encounter: What Happened At Mumbra Bypass 

On Monday, a Thane police team was taking Akshay to Badlapur from Taloja jail in connection with the second FIR. A transfer warrant under the FIR registered against him at Badlapur police station under Indian Penal Code sections 377, 324, 323 and 504, was also obtained by Central Crime Unit officials of Thane city police, an official said.

ALSO READ: Akshay Shinde Encounter: Oppn Seeks Judicial Probe In Badlapur Rape Accused's Death; Maha CM Terms Police Action As 'Self Defence'

According to a PTI report, the police team picked up Shinde from Taloja jail around 5:30 pm in the evening. It was when the police van reached the Mumbra Bypass, 45 minutes into the journey, that Akshay snatched the service gun of Assistant Police Inspector Nilesh More, and fired at least three shots at the police party. While a bullet hit API More, two went haywire.

Taken aback by the sudden charge, another officer in the police party fired one round at the alleged accused in self-defence, injuring him with a gunshot wound. Akshay Shinde and API More were promptly rushed to the Kalwa Civic Hospital where doctors referred More to Jupiter Hospital.

ALSO READ: Akshay Shinde, Badlapur Sexual Assault Main Accused, Killed In Police Firing After He Snatches Cop's Gun And Fires

Shinde was declared dead on by the doctors at Kalwa Civic Hospital and his body was sent to JJ Hospital for post-mortem, an official said.

Who Was Akshay Shinde

Akshay Shinde was a contractual cleaner employed by the school to clean the toilets of the school on August 1. However, within days he was accused of raping two 4-year-old girls in the school toilet and was arrested 5 days after the alleged crime took place.