A 28-year-old software professional was bludgeoned to death allegedly by seven persons with suspected links to a Hindu outfit near Pune, the police said.
The murder of Shaikh Mohasin Sadiq, who hailed from Solapur and is currently a resident of Hadapsar, on Monday night sparked tension in the area, they said.
The trigger for the attack was apparently uploading of derogatory pictures of warrior king Shivaji and late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray on Facebook, which led to a protest bandh on Sunday.
The police have arrested seven persons in this regard under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 147 (rioting) of Indian Penal Code. They are allegedly linked to Hindu Rashtra Sena.
Sadiq worked in the IT department of a textile firm in the city. He was thrashed with sticks at Bankar Colony by the accused and succumbed to his injuries during treatment at a nearby hospital, the police said.
Two other youths too had been attacked and injured in stone throwing at the same spot on the same night, according to the police.
The police said the case was handed over to the crime branch and they have appealed to citizens not to believe or spread rumours as the situation is peaceful.
Security has been beefed up in the area.
