Instagram rivalry turns violent as 19-year-old Pune creator attacked inside cafe

A social media feud between Pune creators Madhavi Rajesh Kumbhar and Atharva Pramod Jagtap allegedly turned violent after Atharva was attacked with a sharp weapon inside a Shivajinagar cafe. Police have arrested 12 adults, including Kumbhar, and detained three juveniles. The dispute reportedly began after a road accident and later escalated through Instagram taunts.Content creator Madhavi Rajesh Kumbhar (L); attack outside Pune cafe on August 15 (R)A social media rivalry between two Pune-based content creators turned violent after a 19-year-old engineering student was allegedly attacked with a sharp weapon inside a cafe in Shivajinagar in the early hours of Independence Day, police said.Deccan police have arrested 12 adults and detained three juveniles in connection with the assault.The dispute allegedly began nearly a year ago after a minor road accident at Kaas Pathar in Satara district involving Atharva Pramod Jagtap, 19, and Madhavi Rajesh Kumbhar, 23. Both have a significant following on Instagram, with Madhavi having 2.4 million followers and Atharva nearly 250,000.Police said the disagreement later spilled onto social media, with both sides allegedly posting videos and taunting each other on Instagram. The online trolling and continued hostility added fuel to the fire, eventually leading Madhavi and her aides to allegedly plot an assault on Atharva, police said. According to police, Atharva was at Cafe Flying Gypsy on Shirole Road around 3.30 am when the attackers confronted him.Atharva allegedly tried to escape by moving into the cafe, but history-sheeter Rahul Sitaram Waghmare, 20, followed him and attacked him with a sharp weapon. Other accused, including juveniles, allegedly joined the assault. Police rushed to the spot and ensured that Atharva received immediate medical attention. A case was registered under attempt to murder and other relevant sections based on his complaint, following which police launched an investigation.Police used CCTV footage to identify the suspects and arrested Waghmare, Madhavi, Snehal Sonke and others. The cafe owner and manager were also arrested after police alleged that the establishment was operating beyond permitted hours and that blood evidence had been cleaned.Three more adults were subsequently arrested, while the juveniles were sent to an observation home. The arrested adults are in magisterial custody.- EndsPublished By: Sayan GangulyPublished On: Aug 26, 2026 16:32 IST