A 38-year-old man was beaten to death following a dispute outside a bar in Vizhinjam late on Wednesday. He was identified as Suman (38), a native of Thiruvallam.

The Vizhinjam police said four persons - Achu, Ananthu, Sooryajith and Lalukrishnan - were taken into custody in connection with the incident.

According to the FIR, the accused were drinking at the bar where Suman was also present. An argument reportedly broke out after they stepped out of the bar around midnight, following which the group assaulted Suman.

He was pushed onto the road and thrashed, with blows aimed at his head and chest. In video footage of the incident that has surfaced, one of the accused was seen kicking Suman while he was lying on the road. Another person is seen repeatedly punching him in the face.

In the footage, the voice of a person, not seen in the video, is heard asking the duo to stop, to which one of them responds, “There is no blood on his head,” while another accused urges others to 'kill him'.

Suman was later taken to a nearby hospital by a passerby, but was declared dead on arrival.

Vizhinjam Police said the exact cause of the altercation would emerge only after a detailed questioning of the accused.