MNS activist killed in Pune

A Maharashtra Navnirman Sena activist was murdered in Pune on Thursday, the police said.

Sandeep Dangal, who headed the Bhor taluka unit of the Raj Thackeray-led party, was attacked with choppers by a group of unidentified persons in Kothrud area, they said.

Dangal was rushed to the Sasoon hospital here where he was declared dead on admission. No arrests have been made so far in the case, the police said.             

Meanwhile, Raj Thackeray arrived in Pune.

Thackeray went straight to his residential apartment in Western Pune and refused to speak to journalists who had gathered there.

The police have asked organisers of the function which the 39-year-old youth leader was scheduled to attend on Friday morning, to change the venue -- the police parade ground-- in view of the Prime Minister's visit to the city.

The permission to hold a sports event at the venue had earlier been granted to a local youth club when PM's programme was not finalised, sources said.