Thane man kills friend after spat over alcohol

A 40-year-old man was axed to death by his friend following a squabble over liquor. An inebriated Raja Rathod, 26, killed Vishal Patil with an axe on Thursday and then went to the Kalwa police station and confessed his crime.

A 40-year-old man was axed to death by his friend following a squabble over liquor. An inebriated Raja Rathod, 26, killed Vishal Patil with an axe on Thursday and then went to the Kalwa police station and confessed his crime.

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Rathod was arrested for murder and was produced in court on Friday. He has been remanded in police custody till July 4.

Both Rathod and Patil lived in Shastrinagar and would often be seen together bingeing, locals said. While Rathod is a plumber, Patil used to do odd jobs to earn his living.

On Thursday night, Rathod was drinking alone at the cremation ground near Manishanagar when Patil spotted him and went to meet him. Patil was angry at being left out.

A squabble ensued between them, and an infuriated Rathod killed Patil.

“Patil was carrying a small television set on his shoulder. When he saw Rathod drinking, he got furious and said that he will teach him a lesson for drinking alone. An irked Rathod got an axe from his home nearby. He followed Patil and first hit him on the head. When Patil fell down, Rathod hit him again. Rathod then came and told us that he had killed Patil,” said senior police inspector Arun Sonde.