CHENNAI: A 28-year-old auto-rickshaw driver was hacked to death by a gang in Besant Nagar on Sunday. The police have arrested five youths in connection with the murder.

The police identified the deceased as R Jayaraman (28), who was a resident of the Urban Habitat Development Board Quarters in Perumbakkam. The preliminary investigations revealed that Jayaraman was chatting with his friends and an argument ensued.

One of the friends, A Appu (33), of Ambattur ganged up against Jayaraman and along with four others attacked Jayaraman with weapons and fled the scene. A passerby who noticed the man lying unconscious with injuries alerted the authorities and they moved him to a hospital where he was declared as brought dead.

Sastri Nagar Police registered a case of murder and arrested five persons - Appu, R Sarath alias Shanmugam (29), Y Aamos (26), I Saranraj (28), and R Santhosh Kumar (25), all residents of Ayapakkam in Ambattur. The police also said Appu was involved in 10 cases, including a murder case.

The police produced all five accused before a magistrate and remanded them in judicial custody.