FIR filed against janitor for firing at cops; Thane police chief orders inquiry into the encounter

A First Information Report (FIR) has also been registered at the Mumbra police station against the accused, who worked as a janitor at the private school, on charges of attempt to murder for opening fire at police officers.

Meanwhile, forensic experts reached the spot where the accused was killed in the encounter and collected samples. They also inspected the police vehicle in which the encounter reportedly took place, said a source.

Family members, Oppn raise doubt on encounter

Monday’s encounter has sparked a controversy, with the family members of the accused raising questions on the selection of policemen to escort him from Thane to Taloja. One of the members of the escort team was Inspector Sanjay Shinde, who was previously a part of the team formed by encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma.

His parents have questioned the police claims and asked how their son could have fired at them when his hands were tied and face covered. They said that they will not accept his body until justice is delivered. They also demanded action against the school management officials who have been named in the case.

Opposition party leaders have also levelled allegations on the state government, terming the police encounter a conspiracy. Reacting to the encounter, Maharashtra’s Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar demanded a judicial probe into the incident. “At a time when school trustees who are linked to the BJP remain absconding, the main accused gets killed by the police. Is it an attempt to destroy evidence?” he asked.

“How did he manage to get hold of a pistol when his hands were tied? We have always doubted the role of the police in this case. This case must undergo a judicial probe,” he said.

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said, “The accused should have been hanged to death through the legal route. The negligence shown by the Home department while transferring the accused raises serious doubts.”

What happened on Monday

The accused, who was arrested last month for allegedly sexually assaulting two four-year-old girls at a school in Badlapur, was killed in “retaliatory firing” on Monday, the police said.

At around 5.30 pm on Monday, the accused was picked up by the escort team from Taloja Central Jail, where he was lodged. The incident occurred “between 6-6.15 pm near the Mumbra Bypass, in Thane district”. The accused was being taken to Thane for a Crime Branch SIT to investigate a sexual assault case filed by his former wife in 2021, the police stated in a statement.

The police added the accused allegedly snatched Assistant Police Inspector Nilesh More’s pistol and fired at the team escorting him in a bid to escape. According to the police, the accused fired three rounds, injuring More and two other police officers.

The body of the accused has been sent to the Sir J J Hospital for post-mortem.

The accused was arrested on August 17, for allegedly sexually assaulting two four-year-old girls in the washroom of a private school in Badlapur earlier that month. Medical examinations confirmed the sexual abuse of both girls.

The incident triggered massive protests in the state over the alleged delay in filing the FIR and the poor safety measures for children in educational institutions.