CHENNAI: A road rage incident escalated into the murder of two youths near Manavalanagar in Tiruvallur on Friday night. The police have arrested four people in connection with the murder. The deceased were Parthiban (32) and Sugumar (31)

Parthiban was a clerk at a bank in Sevvapet, while Sugumar worked as a loan collection agent. Their friend, Kesavamoorthy (23), was also attacked, survived with injuries and is undergoing treatment at the Tiruvallur GH.

The trio were residents of Ondikuppam in Tiruvallur, police said.

On Friday, they visited Kailasa Kona Falls in Andhra Pradesh and were on their way home. Around 7 pm, they halted near a bakery on Tiruvallur High Road when two men rode past them rashly. The trio raised their voices at them, which led to an argument.

The men on the bikes left and returned with two more people. They traced the trio and pelted stones at them. When the trio were disoriented, the group attacked them with weapons and fled the scene.

A passerby moved Sugumar and Kesavamoorthy to the hospital, while Parthiban died at the spot. Sugumar succumbed without responding to treatment.

Over 100 villagers blocked the Tiruvallur-Poonamallee Road, demanding strict action against the assailants. The police later pacified the villagers and dispersed them.

Later in the day, the police rounded up the suspects,  Neelakandan (30), Jyotish (34), Vinothkumar (36) and Jawahar (23). They were produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody. Neelakandan is a member of the BSP, while Jawahar is a TVK member, police said.