On the night of Maha Shivaratri, a rowdysheeter was brutally murdered by an unidentified gang here on Friday, according to police.

The deceased has been identified as Shiva alias Sharath alias Vatte.

The police suspect an old gang rivalry behind the murder.

The unidentified gang hacked Shiva to death with machetes and knives, they said.

The murder took place when the deceased was waylaid when he was walking back home at 9.30 pm, police said.

The deceased sustained injuries in his head, and neck and suffered multiple stab injuries in his stomach, police said.

After stabbing him, the unidentified gang then left Shiva in a pool of blood, and escaped, they said.

The police also said that Shiva had partied with his friends on a fateful night and asked one of his friends to drop him home.

After the friend had dropped him a few meters away from his house and left, the unidentified gang waylaid Shiva and attacked him with matchets, police said.

(With UNI inputs)