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The deceased, Muniswaran of Charles Nagar in Sathangadu, lived with his younger brother Sunil, 22. Police said the dispute began on Aug 29 midnight, near a railway gate in Tiruvottiyur. The Sathangadu police registered a case and arrested Yogeshwaran, 22, Johnson, 19, Jayanthan, 19, and Jeeva, 18, all from the neighbourhood, in connection with the assault.
Police said the group later consumed liquor and returned to the railway gate. Police said the group then attacked Muniswaran with a log, before fleeing the spot. On noticing that a college student from the locality was being harassed by the gang, Sunil objected to it and confronted them, leading to a heated argument. Neighbours intervened and pacified both sides before they dispersed. Neighbours found him with serious head injuries and took him to Government Stanley Medical College Hospital, where he was admitted for treatment. They were remanded in judicial custody. The arrested youths did not have any previous criminal cases, but were involved in a few assault cases.
Following his death, police altered the case to murder and are investigating. Muniswaran, who had been undergoing treatment for head injuries, died at the hospital on Thursday morning.