A 50-year-old man, a mason, was stabbed to death by his neighbour near Sulur in Coimbatore district on Sunday evening.
The police said that A. Varadharaj, who hailed from Tiruchengode in Namakkal district, was murdered by his neighbour C. Anandan (33) at Kangeyampalayam, near Sulur.
According to the police, Varadharaj got separated from his wife some years ago. He had been staying alone in a rented house at Kangeyampalayam for the past two months. Anandan, a bachelor and a wall painter by occupation, had been staying close to Varadharaj’s residence. Varadharaj used to tease Anandan under the influence of alcohol, they said.
Anandan had borrowed a stove from Varadharaj a few days ago and he did not return it. Though Varadharaj demanded to return the stove several times, Anandan refused to oblige. Varadharaj repeated his demand on Sunday evening and quarrelled with Anandan under the influence of alcohol. Anandan stabbed Varadharaj with a chisel on his chest and left hand and fled the place. Varadharaj was later found dead by other neighbours, the police said.
The Sulur police shifted the body to the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem.
A team led by Sulur inspector R. Mathaiyan arrested Anandan on Monday.
