Members of Hindu Rashtra Sena had circulated this message after murdering Shaikh Mohsin Sadiq.
Peace was disrupted in Pune after the murder of software professional Shaikh Mohsin Sadiq by persons associated with right wing group Hindu Rashtra Sena. The incident occurred few days after morphed images of late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Hindu gods were posted on social networking website Facebook.
After committing the crime members of Hindu Rashtra Sena reportedly exchanged an SMS which said, ‘Pahili wicket padli’ (the first wicket has fallen).
“The message was circulated immediately after about 25 members of the Hindu extremist outfit allegedly bludgeoned Shaikh to death,” Pune Joint commissioner of police Sanjay Kumar said.
Shaikh, who hailed from Solapur, worked as a IT manager in private firm in the city. On Monday evening, he was returning home on a bike. Sporting a beard and a Pathani kurta, Shaikh was waylaid by a mob in Hasapsar and bludgeoned to death.
The Pune Police arrested 17 persons out of the 20 suspects in the crime. Among those arrested is Dhananjay Desai, chief of Hindu Rashtra Sena, who has various criminal cases against him. Some of those accused have been charged with murder. Hindu Rashtra Sena is rightwing outfit known for its extreme views.
Deceased Mohsin Shaikh’s father, Sadiq Shaikh said he was aware of the communal tension in Pune after derogatory photographs were posted on Facebook over the weekend, but that did not worry him a bit. He said, “I wasn’t worried at all. Neither was Mohsin. We knew Pune was a safe city. I had spoken to him on Monday afternoon and we didn’t even discuss this issue. We didn’t think it was something to worry about. He had called me to inform that he had transferred the money. Mohsin always transferred the money the day he got his salary.”
The posts were removed but not before tension was reported from some areas of Maharashtra.
Police said the case was handed over to 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. The police are on the lookout for the remaining accused who have been identified.
Pune was always considered as a safe city despite the heavy influx of people from other parts of the state and country. However, the recent tension over the derogatory FB posts has come as a severe jolt to the peace loving Puneites.
