Argument at theatre for keeping feet on seat ends in murder; two held in Otteri

CHENNAI: A man who verbally abused his friends after they kept their feet on his seat while seated behind him at a movie theatre was murdered by the duo on Monday night after a drinking session in Otteri.

The accused cut the victim's private part and flung it after slashing his neck and also stabbing across his body, police said.

The victim was identified as S Syed Siraj (35) of Otteri. He was working as a casual labourer at Aaduthotti in Pulianthope and lived with alone as his wife and four children got separated from him due to his alcoholism, police said.

A couple of weeks ago, Syed was watching a new release at a theatre when a fight broke out between him and two others who kept their feet on his seat.

After a verbal duel, Syed allegedly issued threats and left and shared about the incident with his family members, who advised him to keep away from the duo.

However, on Monday evening, Syed's brother, Malik saw him with the duo at a dilapidated building in Pattalam.

The three of them were having liquor bottles. After a while, when Malik went to check on his brother, he saw one of them holding his brother and the other drawing a knife.

When Malik raised alarms, the duo threatened him too and by the time he rushed to get help to rescue his brother, the duo stabbed Syed several times and fled the scene.

One of the accused, Kaleel told the police that the deceased had badmouthed his mother after their fight which triggered him.

Otteri Police registered a case of murder and after investigations arrested the accused, Mohammed Kaleel (28) and M Imran (30) of Otteri.

They were produced before a magistrate and remanded to judicial custody.