A grave matter: Tension at burial of Badlapur accused

After seven days, the final rites of Akshay Shinde.

- N.K.Gupta

The last rites for the accused in the Badlapur school POCSO case, Akshay Shinde, 24, were performed under heavy police security at the Hindu Crematorium in Shanti Nagar on Sunday. Additional Commissioner of Police Sanjay Jadhav from Kalyan division confirmed that the final rites were performed in the presence of his immediate family, relatives amid police security in Ulhasnagar.

Before the burial could take place however, there was considerable tension in the area. Protesting residents had reached the crematorium and created a ruckus.

DCP Sudhakar Pathare of Ulhasnagar Police confirmed having given a letter to the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation to provide space for Shinde's burial at the Hindu crematorium on Sunday.

According to sources, police had dispatched a JCB to the crematorium in Ulhasnagar to dig a grave for Akshay Shinde's burial. On learning that he was going to be buried in Ulhasnagar, hundreds of residents and the Shiv Sena leader from Ulhasnagar, Rajendra Chaudhary, and his workers arrived at the spot around 1.30pm, to oppose the proceedings. They insisted that no final rites could be performed in their city, nor could Akshay Shinde's body be buried in the 'holy land of Ulhasnagar'.