Badlapur Sexual Assault: Akshay Shinde Buried in Ulhasnagar
Protests delayed the burial of Akshay Shinde, accused in the Badlapur assault case, after his death in a police encounter, with locals strongly opposing his burial in their area.
Akshay Shinde, accused of sexually assaulting two 4-year-old girls in Badlapur, was shot dead on 23rd September while being taken for questioning in another case filed by his ex-wife. According to the police, Shinde tried to grab a pistol from an officer and fired, injuring him, which led the police to shoot him in self-defense.
Since his death, his body remained at Kalwa Civil Hospital as protests from locals and political parties like Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and Shiv Sena delayed his burial. Residents opposed the burial in their area, which forced Shinde's family to approach the high court. The court directed the police to bury his body.
Finally, on 29th September, Shinde was buried at the Shantinagar crematorium in Ulhasnagar after a week of searching for a suitable burial site. Protests continued at the site, and angry locals filled up a freshly dug grave twice, causing delays. The police had to arrest some protestors, and the burial was done under heavy police security at 6 pm.
Residents and political groups chanted slogans against the burial, saying there was "no place in our city" for someone who committed such a heinous act. Many still threaten to remove the body and throw it in a nearby nullah
In response, authorities have installed CCTV cameras and increased security at the burial site to maintain law and order. BJP MLA Kisan Kathore expressed that Shinde’s body should not have been buried in Badlapur, as it would further anger the people.
Some residents of Shanti Nagar were vocal in their opposition. "Why should we allow a criminal to be buried in our community?" said Sharmila Kumar, a resident. Others, like Jamil Shaikh, questioned why the burial had to happen there, stating it would "ruin our soil."
Shinde’s father, Anna Shinde, has requested police protection for his family, as they have been receiving threats.
Though Akshay Shinde was Hindu, his family chose to bury him instead of cremating him, citing a family tradition. However, some sources suggest the family may have opted for burial to allow the option of exhuming the body if needed for further investigation into his death.
