Muslim techie beaten to death by Hindutva extremists

Pune, Jun 4: In a frightening incident, a young Muslim IT professional was brutally murdered by the extremists belonging to a Hindu outfit, as he was returning home Monday night in Maharashtra, where political parties are gearing up for impending Assembly elections.

Police identified the victim as Mohsin Sadiq Shaikh, a 24-year-old from Solapur district, who worked as an IT manager with a private firm in Pune.

Police said seven people, aged between 19 and 24 years, have been arrested in connection with the murder of Muslim youth. All the arrested were associated with the Hindu Rashtra Sena, a radical outfit active in the state, police said.

The Crime Branch also called Hindu Rashtra Sena chief Dhananjay Desai for questioning. He was later arrested in connection with an earlier case at Pune Cantonment police station, relating to distribution of objectionable pamphlets in March this year.

Killed for wearing skull cap

Shaikh was reportedly assaulted near his rented home in Bankar Colony, Hadapsar, as he was returning with a friend, Riyaz, after offering namaz at a masjid, around 9 pm.

Riyaz alleged that Moshin was targeted because he was wearing a skull cap and had a beard. “I ran from the spot and called his brother Mobin for help. However, by the time Mobin came, Mohsin was badly beaten up and the assailants were about to leave,” he said.

A police team reached the spot soon but the assailants fled from the spot, leaving behind their motorcycles and wooden sticks. Police seized three motorcycles that helped in identifying the assailants. The arrests were made on Tuesday. Mohsin was admitted to a private hospital where he was declared dead around 1 am.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone IV) Manoj Patil confirmed that all seven accused are associated with the Hindu Rashtra Sena.

The development comes amidst the sporadic violence unleashed by Hindutva extremists across the state of Maharashtra in the aftermath of uploading of derogatory images of Chatrapati Shivaji and late Shiv Sena chief Bala Saheb Thakerey on Facebook. According to sources the derogatory images were uploaded using a fake Muslim account by a youth belonging to a Hindutva group to disturb peace. More than 200 public transport buses and private vehicles were damaged in past few days and incidents of arson, stone-pelting and rioting were reported from many parts of the city.