A 26-year-old woman IT professional has been shot dead allegedly by a male friend with whom she was in a relationship in Maharashtra's Pune district, police said on Sunday.

The incident took place at a lodge in Hinjawadi area of Pimpri Chinchwad on Saturday and the police got the information on Sunday morning, they said, adding the motive behind the killing was yet not known.

According to a senior police official, the accused has been identified as Rishab Nigam and detained in Mumbai.

As per preliminary information, the accused and the victim, both hailing from Uttar Pradesh, were in a relationship.

The deceased worked in an IT firm in Hinjawadi and the accused lived in UP.

"The accused had come from Uttar Pradesh and was staying in a lodge in Hinjawadi where he called the deceased. As per preliminary information, on Saturday night, he shot the woman and fled. We came to know about the incident this morning," Deputy Commissioner of Police Bapu Bangar said.

The man was traced and detained in Mumbai and was being brought to Pune for further investigation, he said.

"The motive is yet to be clear. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the IPC at Hinjawadi police station and further investigation is on," the official said.

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