In Tamil Nadu, man dies in drunken brawl among friends

CHENNAI: A four-member gang of friends murdered one of their own and disposed his body in front of his house in Chengalpet on Wednesday night.
Police identified the deceased as R Vinothkumar, 35, of Melamayur village in Chengalpet district.
Vinothkumar was employed at a private firm. Police said he used to drink with his friends regularly, and returned home late at night.
On Wednesday, Vinothkumar was drinking with his friends at a Tasmac shop in Irattaikinaru area. The friends had an argument and Vinoth Kumar attacked one Thangaraj. A few minutes later, Thangaraj and his friends Shan, Harikrishnan and Raj beat up Vinothkumar.
The man was bleeding profusely before he fell unconscious. His four friends then carried him in an autorickshaw and threw him in in front of his house. Vinoth's mother, who was looking for him for a long time, came out of the house and noticed her son lying in a pool of blood.
She rushed him to the Chengalpet government hospital where he was declared brought dead.
He did not reveal the name of his friends, police said.
Chengalpet Town police registered a case of murder. Inquiries revealed that he was last seen drinking with his friends. On suspicion, police nabbed his friends, who later confessed to the murder. All four have been remanded in judicial custody.
The four accused told police that it was not a planned murder but happened after a heated altercation. Vinothkumar and Thangaraj were not on good terms and had picked up arguments on earlier occassions too.
Their friends, who usually pacified them, joined in the attack on Wednesday, police said.