An RPI (Ektawadi) leader from Thane was on Tuesday allegedly lynched by an armed mob in front of his house at Gholai Nagar in Kalwa, police said.
40-year-old Shankar Kadam, who was the Kalwa region president of the party, was brutally attacked around 1 am by a mob of 25-30 people armed with swords, knives and other lethal weapons, said RPI Zilla president Pandarinath Gaikwad.
Kadam was called out of his house in the wee hours. As soon as he stepped out, the mob allegedly dragged him and began assaulting him. When his sister-law and other locals intervened, they too were allegedly beaten up leaving seven people injured, police said.
Police suspect that it may be a case of local rivalry as the assailants were unhappy with the development work Kadam undertook in the region.
The injured, including the sister-in-law, have been admitted to the CSMH Civic hospital at Kalwa and are being treated upon, Gaikwad said.
Senior police officers have rushed to the scene and investigations are underway. The police is likely to register offences under sections 302, 307 of the IPC and for rioting once the attackers are identified.
Meanwhile, panic has gripped Gholai Nagar even as police is making efforts to maintain law and order in the locality.
