CHENNAI: City Police on Sunday arrested a 20-year-old youth who stabbed his friend to death after an argument in the accused's residence in Kodungaiyur, in Chennai.

The deceased was identified as V Saravanan (27) of Paramanandha Mudali street in Seven Wells. He worked as a casual labourer at a plastic shop in Parrys, police said.

On Saturday night, Saravanan went to the room of the accused, B Ranjith Kumar (20), in MGR Nagar, Kodungaiyur, for a drinking session. Ranjith too works in Broadway, police said.

Investigation revealed that after getting drunk, both of them slept off in the room.

After waking up on Sunday morning, Saravanan had allegedly spoken slanderously about Ranjith's mother, after which Ranjith Kumar took knives from the house, stabbed Saravanan, and fled the scene.

The house owner, who heard Saravanan's screams, rushed to find the man lying dead and alerted the Kodungaiyur police.

After a search, police arrested Ranjith. Further investigation revealed that he had moved from Andhra Pradesh with his family to Chennai about two years ago and was living along with them in Kodungaiyur.

Ranjith also has three criminal cases registered against him, including an attempt to murder case filed in Sulurpet police station, Andhra Pradesh.