A 32-year-old man was beaten to death by four men, on Friday night in Tiruvottiyur, following a longstanding rivalry.
The assailants surrendered to the police later.
The deceased was identified as A. Murugan, a milk vendor and resident of Annamalai Nagar 2 Street in Tiruvottiyur.
He was attacked around 10.30 p.m., on Gramam Street, while walking home in an inebriated state, said the Tiruvottiyur police.
The suspects, Kalaivanan (24), his brother Sathish Kumar (23), cousin Bharat (19) and their uncle Chandrasekar (43), were standing on the street, and Murugan began to abuse them.
Attack in a fit of rage“Angered, the four men hit Murugan and smashed his head with a stone. They left the spot after leaving Murugan to bleed to death. Locals in the area alerted the police,” said an investigating officer.
Past enmityOn Saturday morning, the four men surrendered to the police.
Upon questioning, the suspects said Murugan turned their enemy after the suicide of Kumudha, Kalaivanan and Sathish’s mother, seven years ago, following allegations that Murugan had an affair with her, said the police.
The suspects also claimed that Murugan made Sampath Kumar, the duo’s father, an alcoholic after the demise of their mother.
These reasons drove the men to kill Murugan, they told the police.
The four men were booked for murder and remanded to judicial custody.
They were sent to Puzhal prison on Saturday evening.
