The ruling and opposition parties have continued to spar over the police killing of Akshay Shinde, the main accused in the Badlapur sexual assault case. A nationwide stir in August had seen a fierce political bout between the two sides. Now, the encounter killing has pitted them again against each other, trying to derive an advantage ahead of the state polls. As the Opposition leaders accused the government of staging an encounter to protect the management of the school where the alleged incident took place, their counterparts in the Mahayuti justified the death of a person who deserved capital punishment for the inhuman act.

Amid criticism of their leaders, Shinde Sena’s rank and file celebrated the killing and hailed CM Eknath Shinde for dispensing quick justice. BJP workers and sympathisers took to social media to thank Dy CM and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis by trending hashtag DevachaNyay (God’s justice). The Opposition alliance’s stance was being used by the ruling parties to paint the political rivals as anti-justice people who spoke in favour of the accused who they (MVA) wanted to be hanged for the heinous crime. They accused the MVA leaders of demoralising the police force which had to act in self-defence.