CHENNAI: A tea shop owner stabbed his 31-year-old to death on Saturday after the latter allegedly maligned his wife during an argument last week in Kolathur.

The deceased was identified as K Hameed Basha, a cab driver and a resident of Rani Anna Nagar near KK Nagar. Hameed used to frequent the tea stall of his friend, Sheik Abdullah (31), on 200 Feet Road in Kolathur.

Last week, when an argument broke out between Hameed and Abdullah, Hameed allegedly badmouthed Abdullah's wife and called her names.

But both of them parted ways without any incident on the day of the argument. On Saturday, Hameed visited Abdulla's tea stall again and talked as if things were normal. However, unable to forgive Hameed, an irate Abdullah questioned him for his behaviour and condemned him for badmouthing his wife.

Soon, the argument escalated and both the men engaged in fisticuffs. In a spur of the moment, Abdullah grabbed a knife and stabbed Hameed and fled the scene. Onlookers rushed to the injured man's aid and moved him to the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

The Rajamangalam police registered a case of murder and arrested Abdullah (31). He was produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.