A birthday party in Navi Mumbai’s Digha area turned into a night of horror when five men, drunk and seething over an old dispute, allegedly murdered their friend in a savage, booze-fuelled attack on April 13. Police have arrested the accused in connection with the incident.

The victim, Sonraj Suresh Shinde, 30, had joined the group to celebrate a birthday. But what started as a friendly gathering quickly spiralled out of control as alcohol kicked in and tempers flared over a lingering house construction dispute. In a fit of rage, the accused allegedly turned on Shinde, beating him mercilessly before smashing his head with a stone. The brutal assault left him dead on the spot.