Chennai: Year-end revelry turned fatal for a 33-year-old man after his friend stabbed him to death in an argument at a beachside hotel in Mamallapuram where the group of friends was partying on Saturday night.

The deceased was identified as Sanjeev Raj, a native of Udumalaipet in Tiruppur district. He was working at a software firm at Ekkatuthangal in the city. Police have detained his friend, Senthil Raj (42), a private firm employee in connection with the murder.





Preliminary investigations revealed that Sanjeev Raj was murdered after an argument with his friend over his relationship with his friend's estranged spouse. Police sources said that Sanjeev had tried to patch up the estranged couple, which did not go down well with Senthil.

Senthil was separated from his wife, who was working in the same firm where Sanjeev was working.

A set of mutual friends had gathered for a get together at the beachside hotel in Mamallapuram when the murder happened. “The group had booked five rooms in the hotel. Senthil and Sanjeev were consuming alcohol in one of the rooms when an argument broke out between them leading to the murder”, a police officer said.

Senthil had stabbed Sanjeev in a fit of rage. Hearing his screams, friends who were in other rooms rushed to his aid and moved him to a hospital where he was declared brought dead.

Most of them vacated the rooms immediately after the murder. Mamallapuram police on Sunday identified each of them and took statements from them. Senthil was apprehended by the cops in a chennai bound bus near Kovalam. Mamallapuram police have registered a case of murder against him and are investigating.