CHENNAI: A 26-year-old man, a construction labourer, was beaten to death with a stone by two history-sheeters in Kodungaiyur on Sunday night, allegedly over sharing a beedi among them.

The deceased was identified as S Gopi (26) of Kannikapuram, Pulianthope. Gopi got drunk with his friends and was walking back along RR Nagar Main Road, Kodungaiyur, when he was intercepted by the accused.

The duo asked Gopi to share beedi which led to an argument between them. In the melee, the duo attacked Gopi, took a stone, smashed it against his face and fled the scene.

Passerby, who noticed a severely injured Gopi, alerted the authorities who moved him to a hospital, where he was declared as brought dead. Based on a complaint filed by the deceased’s brother, Saravanan, Kodungaiyur police zeroed in on the suspects.

On Monday, police arrested D Siva (55) and D Johnson (24) – both from Kodungaiyur. Siva has two ganja cases and Johnson has six cases, including an attempt-to-murder case against him. They were produced before a magistrate and remanded to judicial custody.