An attempt to stop an assault on an elderly man spiralled into a fatal act of rage in Worli, where the senior citizen’s 43-year-old assailant was allegedly beaten and kicked to death by his close friend following a heated argument near an electrician’s workshop at Worli Naka, a bustling junction, late on Saturday night. The Worli police have arrested the accused, Nilesh Kalidas Salunke, 40, a labourer with a criminal past, and booked him for murder.

According to police, the deceased, Pramod Ram Gupta, 43, and Salunke were long-time friends who often spent time together in the area. Trouble erupted when Gupta was allegedly seen assaulting an elderly man in the neighbourhood. Witnessing the incident, Salunke reportedly intervened and questioned Gupta over his conduct.