The deceased, Manikandan (28), was a resident of Kollumedu near Avadi. He was a listed history-sheeter at the Avadi Tank Factory police station and had several criminal cases pending against him, police said.

Preliminary enquiries revealed that Manikandan had a long-standing enmity with another history-sheeter, Veera (23), of Kovilpathagai, Avadi, over Manikandan being part of a gang that bumped off two of Veera’s associates. On Friday evening, Manikandan and Veera got into an argument, and in the melee, Veera and three of his friends repeatedly assaulted him.

After he fell to the ground, Veera allegedly stomped his foot on his neck, which led to his death. A passerby moved Manikandan to a hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.