Man killed by 6 in Mumbai over ‘stalking’ one accused's girlfriend on Instagram

The victim has been messaging a 21-year-old woman in his neighbourhood on whom he has had a crush, for the last few days, said police.

A 24-year-old man was brutally assaulted and killed by six men in Nalasopara, after he stalked one of the assaulters’ girlfriend with an intention of befriending her on Instagram. He died while being treated at a hospital on Monday, where he was taken after suffering serious injuries. On Tuesday evening, Tulinj police arrested the six alleged assaulters.

The victim died while being treated at a hospital on Monday, where he was taken after suffering serious injuries. (PTI/Representational)

The victim Pratik Waghe, a resident of Saikrupa Society, Jijai Nagar in Nalasopara East, has been messaging a 21-year-old woman in his neighbourhood on whom he has had a crush, for the last few days, said police. The woman, however, was disinterested and complained to her boyfriend, identified as Bhushan Patil, about Waghe’s advances.

Around 11:30 pm on Sunday, Patil gathered his friends near Waghe’s house and asked him to meet them near Moregaon lake, where he confronted him about the messages. When Waghe admitted to his affections for the woman, Patil and his friends assaulted him – a video of the attack was shot by one of Patil’s accomplices and uploaded on Instagram.

Following the assault, Waghe collapsed on the road. Seeing him in an unconscious state, the assaulters fled, said an investigating officer. Locals spotted him lying inert and rushed him to the Municipal Hospital, Bolinj, Virar, for treatment. As Waghe’s condition deteriorated, he was shifted to a private hospital in Mira Road where he succumbed to the injuries during treatment on Monday night.

After one of the locals reported the incident, Tulinj police initially registered a case of attempt to murder against the accused; however, after his death, they registered a case of murder against the six people -- Patil and his associates, Sanket Patil and Swaroop Meher, and three unidentified men.

“We have arrested all six, including Patil, Meher and Sanket, who were involved in the brutal assault,” said a police officer from Tulinj police station. Till the time of going to press, cops were unable to reveal the names of the three others.

Police officials said that both the victim and main accused used to work as ward boys at Bhakti Vedant Hospital in Mira Road. Patil had quit his job a few months ago, but Waghe continued to work at the hospital.