The Shantinagar police arrested seven persons for allegedly beating a 25-year-old man to death on suspicion of mobile theft in Bhiwandi on Thursday.

The deceased, Mohammad Rahmat Shah, lived with his family in the Nadiya Park area and hailed from Kolkata. He was found unconscious by locals, who alerted the police. Shah was subsequently taken to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

Police sources stated that Shah was sitting in a parked auto rickshaw when one of the accused passed by and became suspicious. After questioning him, other suspects joined and searched his pockets, discovering four mobile phones, one of which belonged to an accused. They then began to punch and beat him, causing him to fall unconscious on the road. The suspects fled the scene afterwards.

Senior police inspector Vinayak Gaikwad said that seven people have been arrested, while one remains at large, prompting an ongoing manhunt. The arrested persons were produced in court and remanded in police custody for further investigation.