Four more persons with suspected links with a Hindu outfit have been arrested in connection with the murder of a 28-year-old IT professional in Pune, police said on Thursday.
With the fresh arrests made late on Wednesday night, a total of 17 people have been arrested in connection with the murder of Shaikh Mohsin Sadiq in Bankar Colony in Hadapsar area on Monday night, they said.
The arrested are said to be linked to Hindu Rashtra Sena, a right wing organisation.
Thirteen persons, earlier arrested by police in this connection, have been booked under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 147 (rioting) of Indian Penal Code.
Shaikh, a resident of suburban Hadapsar, was allegedly beaten to death with hockey sticks on Monday night, when he was returning to his home at Bankar colony.
The trigger for the attack was apparently uploading of derogatory pictures of warrior king Shivaji and late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray on Facebook by unknown persons, which led to a protest bandh, police said.
While the situation in the area has remained peaceful since Tuesday with heavy deployment of security force, Pune Police Commissioner Satish Mathur said stringent provisions of Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act would be invoked to book the miscreants suspected of involvement in inciting violence.
Scores of buses were damaged during the bandh called by right wing elements to protest the objectionable FB post.
Meanwhile, HRS chief Dhananjay Desai, who was arrested in connection with distribution of inflammatory literature on Tuesday, has denied any involvement of his organisation in the violent incidents.
Desai, who was later released on bail, was again arrested on Wednesday in connection with a similar case (circulation of provocative pamphlets) by police in suburban Loni Kalbhor.
Police issued an appeal asking people not to believe or spread rumours and said Mohasin Shaikh, who stayed at Hadapsar since 2006, was not involved with any organisation.
Police have also registered an offence against unknown persons under the IT Act in connection with the uploading of derogatory pictures on Facebook.
Image: Shaikh Mohsin Sadiq
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