The jawan, Vinod Pawar, was on leave and had arrived at his native place Sayyadnagar in Sakri tehsil, they said.
A group of around 10 people yesterday allegedly tried to molest his cousin sister when Pawar intervened and tried to protect her following which the group attacked him with knives, a police officer told PTI over phone from Sakri.
The assault was so severe that he died soon yesterday, police said.