The shocking encounter shootout that took place in Thane district on Monday has created ripples not just in the state of Maharashtra but all over India. An accused in a child sexual assault case, which happened in Badlapur city of Thane district—barely 50 km from Mumbai—was shot by the police “in self-defence” when, during transit, he apparently snatched the service weapon of a police officer and tried to shoot at the cops.
What is seen now, on social media and in society in general, is extreme political polarisation over the incident. Opposition party leaders claim that the encounter was highly suspicious, alleging that perhaps the shooting was a setup. Meanwhile, ruling party leaders insist that the police acted purely in self-defence. This issue, combined with endless arguments from both sides, has now escalated into a major political controversy in the state.
### Background of the Incident
The original incident took place in a school in Thane and created huge outrage in Badlapur some weeks ago. Angry mobs blocked railway tracks for hours, protesting the case. There were alleged delays in filing the First Information Report (FIR), but later the police swung into action and arrested the accused, Akshay Shinde. The public demanded that the accused should be hanged, which gave the incident a highly political dimension.
Realising the severity of public outrage, the government announced that the case would be processed in a fast-track court. With intense media scrutiny and opposition parties levelling accusations, the case became very high-profile, and allegations from both sides flew non-stop. Against this backdrop, Monday’s encounter shooting has become the biggest issue in the state.
### Political Reactions and Public Sentiment
Several opposition leaders, including Congress state president Nana Patole and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar, expressed doubts over the manner in which the encounter was carried out. However, a question many are now asking is whether sections of the public are showing support for such extreme police actions.
On Monday night, some groups in Thane burst firecrackers and “celebrated” the shooting of Akshay Shinde. This public reaction has bolstered the confidence of ruling party leaders. While they maintain that a high-level or judicial inquiry will take place into the encounter, they have also come out strongly in support of the police officers involved.
The highest level of polarisation is now evident between groups of politicians and the masses over the encounter shooting. This divide is clearly reflected on social media and in comments from political leaders.
### Historical Context of Encounter Shootouts in Maharashtra
Encounter shootings by the police are not new in Maharashtra. In the late 1990s, as underworld gangs began demanding ransom money from big businessmen, real estate developers, and Hindi film industry personalities, the state’s image suffered and investments slowed drastically.
At that time, the police adopted a model of encounter shootouts inspired by the Punjab police’s actions in the 1980s. Dozens of underworld gangsters were eliminated by police in shootouts every few months, making encounters a regular occurrence in Mumbai and surrounding areas.
Interestingly, the Hindi film industry, which was previously a victim of underworld threats, began to celebrate and depict “encounter specialist officers” as heroes. This portrayal helped shape public sentiment, especially among the middle class in Maharashtra, who generally believe that some criminals must be eliminated without waiting for the lengthy judicial process.
### Political Dynamics and Future Outlook
Politicians have been quick to sense this public sentiment. This is why many ruling party leaders, including Member of Parliament Naresh Mhaske, have openly praised the police officers involved in Monday’s encounter shootout.
While the official inquiry into the shooting will proceed according to the legal process and its findings will eventually be made public, this is expected to take significant time due to various limitations.
Some politicians and retired police officers have raised questions about how the accused, Akshay Shinde, managed to snatch the gun from an officer sitting next to him in a vehicle. Were the police not alert enough to prevent this?
The fact remains that the issue has become highly politicised and is likely to be exploited in the upcoming assembly elections. Like many other controversies, this too will witness polarisation of opinions and heated debates between those expressing doubts and those supporting tough actions against hardened criminals.
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*Rohit Chandavarkar is a senior journalist who has worked for 31 years with various leading newspaper brands and television channels in Mumbai and Pune.*
https://www.freepressjournal.in/analysis/have-police-actions-like-encounters-become-over-politicised-in-maharashtra
