Two days after Badlapur sex assault accused Akshay Shinde was shot dead in custody, the Bombay High Court asked tough questions to police about the circumstances leading to the 24-year-old’s death. The court was hearing a petition by Shinde’s father, who has alleged that his son was killed in a fake encounter and has demanded a probe by a Special Investigation Team.

Akshay Shinde (24) was accused of sexually assaulting two minor girls at a school in Badlapur where he worked as a sweeper. He was being taken from Taloja Jail to Badlapur Monday when he snatched a policeman’s pistol and opened fire. An assistant inspector was injured and Shinde was killed in retaliatory firing, police have said.

Addressing the bench of Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice Prithviraj Chavan, petitioner Anna Shinde’s counsel said the accused met his parents a day before the incident and was in no mental state to perform any of the acts alleged by the police.

“In the present case, the police is deciding who is convicted. The rule of law must prevail. This is setting a bad example (and) encouraging police to commit such…,” the counsel said, seeking a court-monitored probe into Shinde’s death.

When the court questioned the cause of death, the state government’s counsel replied, “bullet wound on the left thigh”. The public prosecutor said the pistol allegedly snatched by Shinde could be unlocked in two ways. “One way is pulling the upper portion, the deceased pulled the slider, it popped and he fired,” he said.

The court, however, said this is “hard to believe”. “It requires strength for the slider to pop. (A) layman cannot fire a pistol unless he is trained, (a) revolver is different,” the bench said. “According to you, he fired three bullets. Only one hit the police officer. What about the others?” the court asked.

The court then pointed out that the accused should have been shot below the knee, but the state government responded that the cop who shot him “did not have time to think”. “How could we believe that the police could not overpower the accused?” the court asked.

READ: D Fadnavis’ Pic On ‘Badla Pura’ Posters After Sex Assault Accused Shot Dead

“Till he fired three shots, where were you? You could have easily overpowered (him). It is not like he was a hefty man. This can’t be termed as an encounter. This is not an encounter,” the court added.

The bench asked if there were CCTV cameras on the route. The state government responded that footage of all CCTV cameras on the route will be checked. “We expect the investigation to be impartial. If we see something, we will be inclined to pass an order,” the court said.

The court questioned why the case papers have not been handed over to the state CID yet. “Time is of the essence in any investigation. Delay will lead to suspicion among the public. What prevented you from handling the papers yesterday?” The court said the call data records of all the five occupants of the police vehicle — four officers and the accused — should be collected.

The custodial death of Akshay Shinde, meanwhile, has set off a hoardings spree in Maharashtra.

Hoardings congratulating Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have come up in various locations in Mumbai. They use a wordplay — Badla Pura (revenge complete) — and show Mr Fadnavis holding a gun. These hoardings do not carry any organisation’s name.

The BJP has put up posters of its own, claiming that police would only extort money during the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress regime in Maharashtra, but cops now protect the people. The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has issued newspaper ads, describing the Chief Minister as “Dharamvir” and accusing rivals of politicising a sensitive issue like rape. The newspaper ad also has a cop’s cap.

READ: Maharashtra Government Vs Opposition Over Shooting Of Badlapur Rape Accused

The Opposition has raised questions about the police’s version of the circumstances leading to Shinde’s death.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said the police’s version was suspicious, but there was no need to show sympathy for Shinde. “….This murder or encounter was done to save the main accused. How convincing is it that a school janitor snatches a gun from a policeman and fires a locked weapon? This is the basic question,” he said. The Rajya Sabha MP alleged, “The school is linked to BJP and yesterday’s story (Akshay’s killing) was done to save them.”

NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule wondered how the accused, who was handcuffed, could snatch a pistol from a policeman in a moving vehicle. “A policeman suffered a bullet injury. Even the police are not safe in Maharashtra. If there is CCTV footage of the incident, it should be made public,” she said, according to a PTI report.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake – Sri Lanka’s new Marxist President – has said he wants to avoid being “sandwiched” between India and China but recognises each as a “valued partner”, as he tries to resolve a financial crisis that has roiled his country since 2019 and led to a sovereign default in April 2022.

The former grassroots leader made it clear he intends to steer clear of geopolitical rumblings in South Asia or the Indian Ocean region. He acknowledged that each can provide much-needed financial aid but said he also wanted closer ties with the West, the Middle East, and even Africa.

The remarks were made in an interview with The Monocle, a global affairs and lifestyle magazine, in early September (before his election win was confirmed), in which he spoke about his foreign policy.

“There are many power camps within a multipolar system… but we won’t be part of that geopolitical fight, nor will we be aligned with any party. We also don’t want to be sandwiched, especially between China and India. Both are valued friends and we expect them to become closer partners.”

Mr Dissanayake, 55, a previously fringe Left leader, was catapulted into the limelight after winning the presidential election; he pulled over 42 per cent of the votes.

READ | Marxist Leader Anura Dissanayake Wins Sri Lanka’s Prez Polls

Rumoured close ties to China raised eyebrows, particularly in Delhi, which expressed concerns over Beijing’s growing influence on Sri Lanka, which sits on key shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean. Added to that, the South China Morning Post claimed Beijing expects Dissanayake will seek “maximum support” via foreign direct investment.

That report cited an economics professor from the University of Colombo as saying it is “highly probable” Mr Dissanayake would prefer to work with Beijing over Delhi.

However, Mr Dissanayake has, publicly at least, sought to reassure both Delhi and the United States, which too is wary of China’s growing influence. 

READ | The Rise Of Lanka’s Anura Dissanayake From Grassroots To President

Speaking to an Indian publication on voting day (on Saturday), Mr Dissanayake said India is “crucial” to his country’s hopes for economic stability and regional security.

“We will consider how our economic measures impact our country (while) recognising the importance of India’s support in our development efforts,” he told The Week.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Mr Dissanayake, stating he looks forward to working closely with him to further strengthen the Indo-Lanka multifaceted cooperation. Mr Modi’s post on X also contained a reference to Colombo’s “special place” in Delhi’s Neighbourhood First policy.

READ | PM Congratulates Dissanayake For Victory In Sri Lankan Polls

Mr Dissanayake responded, “I share your commitment… Together, we can work towards enhancing cooperation for the benefit of our peoples and the entire region.”

The Sri Lankan leader also played down fears – expressed by both Delhi and Washington – his country would become a military base for Beijing; as recently as last month three Chinese Navy ships were berthed at Colombo Port, at the same time as India’s front-line warship, INS Mumbai, docked.

“We are committed to maintaining our sovereignty and will not become subordinate to any power in this geopolitical race…” Mr Dissanayake said this month.

Delhi has played a key role – recognised by the International Monetary Fund, which has provided a $3 billion bailout programme – in guiding Colombo through the ongoing financial crisis, having provided aid – food, medicines, fuel, etc., – worth nearly $4 billion since the storm broke.

READ | IMF To Work With Sri Lanka’s New President On $3 Billion Loan

Mr Dissanayake, however, has said he will try to renegotiate the IMF’s loan conditions, some of which led to tax hikes and spending cuts, which many in Colombo said actually exacerbated the cost-of-living crisis that sparked the violent protests of 2019 and 2020. Reviewing the debt plan, though, risks delaying additional loans he needs to meet fiscal criteria before more funds are released.

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Beijing said the test was “routine” but analysts say that is odd as the last such test was in 1980. 

​Beijing said the test was “routine” but analysts say that is odd as the last such test was in 1980.