The accused in the minor girls' sexual assault case was killed in an encounter as the Eknath Shinde government was trying to shield the pro-BJP Badlapur school management, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut alleged on Tuesday.

Hitting back, the ruling Shiv Sena slammed the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction for questioning the bravery of police officers.

Though the encounter was suspicious, there is no need to show sympathy for such a person (Akshay Shinde who is accused of sexually assaulting two minor girls in a school), said Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut.

"....This murder or encounter that has taken place was done to save the main accused (the school management)," Raut told reporters.

Questioning the circumstances of Shinde's death, Raut asked, "How convincing is it that a janitor snatches a gun from a policeman and fires a locked weapon? This is a basic question".

The accused Akshay Shinde died in retaliatory firing by a police officer after he snatched the pistol of a policeman in a van and opened fire, leaving an assistant inspector injured on Monday.

The incident occurred when Shinde was being taken to Badlapur in Thane district from Taloja Jail in Navi Mumbai in a police vehicle.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said that police had fired in self-defence.

Raut suggested that Akshay Shinde was the main piece of evidence that was destroyed given that CM Shinde and Fadnavis wanted to shield the school management.

"This is a big conspiracy. Those who are being saved enjoy the patronage of the chief minister and deputy chief minister," Raut alleged.

He claimed the CCTV footage of the school in Badlapur where the two minor girls were sexually assaulted has gone missing.

"The school is related to BJP and yesterday's story (Akshay Shinde's killing) was done to save them," Raut claimed.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former minister Aaditya Thackeray asked where are the trustees of the Badlapur school and why are they being protected by the government.

"It is understood that the trustees of the school are affiliated to the BJP who are being protected," Thackeray claimed.

He wondered whether cases registered against protesters in Badlapur against the sexual assault will be withdrawn.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena spokesperson and Thane MP Naresh Mhaske criticised the opposition parties for questioning the bravery of the police.

The actions of the Opposition reflect a “two-headed snake” mentality, prioritising political gain over justice, he stated.

Expressing dismay over the targeting of police, Mhaske said that such rhetoric undermines the bravery and professionalism of law enforcement authorities.

"It is unfortunate to question the bravery of our police when they acted in self-defence," the Shiv Sena spokesperson remarked, urging critics to gather all relevant facts before jumping to conclusions.

He claimed the opposition had orchestrated the unrest, bringing in over 30 busloads of protesters from outside the area to Badlapur last month (after the sexual assault incident).

Mhaske also pointed out past incidents involving sacked police officer Sachin Waze, prosecuted in the Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran murder case.

He slammed former CM Uddhav Thackeray for praising Waze in the past, contrasting this with the current scepticism towards Maharashtra police.

"You lauded the Telangana police for the encounter, yet doubt our officers. Is there no shame in this hypocrisy?" he asked.

Mhaske and other Shiv Sena leaders visited the Jupiter Hospital in Thane where Assistant Police Inspector Nilesh More, injured in firing by Akshay Shinde, is undergoing treatment.

"The opposition seems more concerned about the death of the accused than the well-being of our police. This duplicitous stance could demoralise our law enforcement authorities," he stated.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.