COIMBATORE: The district police on Tuesday arrested a 52-year-old man for allegedly murdering a daily wager on Anaikatti Road at Thadagam area.
The accused has been identified as R Vellingiri, a resident of Othakalmandapam while the deceased has been identified as S Jayakumar, 25, a resident of Edayarpalayam.
On Monday, at around 10.30pm, Jayakumar was consuming liquor with two of his friends – Krishnakumar and Suresh. The two friends worked at a brick kiln in Thadagam..
A police officer said that while Jayakumar was under the influence of alcohol, he noticed Vellingiri eating parottas at an eatery near DSP bus stop in Thadagam. He went on to grab a piece parotta from the man’s plate and ate it without his approval.
“Annoyed over Jayakumar’s act, Vellingiri started an argument with Jayakumar. The latter abused Vellingiri verbally and also attacked him with a brick. Vellingiri in turn grabbed a wooden log and hit Jayakumar on his face, neck and on his head. Jayakumar died on the spot,” the officer said.
Passers-by alerted the Thadagam police, who rushed to the spot and recovered Jayakumar’s body.
The body was sent to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital for post-mortem.
Based on the complaint from S Kanchana, the victim’s mother, police arrested Vellingiri under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code.
The accused was produced before the judicial magistrate and remanded.