CHENNAI: A verbal duel between a man and his neighbour's house guests resulted in the murder of a 24-year-old in Thirumullaivoyal in under Avadi City Police limits late on Monday night. Six persons including five from the same family were arrested in connection with the murder.

The deceased youth was part of a trio who were visiting the ailing mother of their friend in the neighbourhood, police said.

The trio, after visiting their friend's mother, were talking outside her home in New Anna Nagar, Thirumullaivoyal, when her neighbour, B Sadasivam, asked them to keep their voices down as it was around 11 pm. Angered by the admonition, the three youths started arguing with the man and allegedly pulled out a knife and threatened him.

An agitated Sadasivam called up his relatives and friends who stay in the same neighbourhood and told them what happened. They formed a group and went in search of the trio and managed to intercept them and attacked them.

K Ganesan (24) was killed in the attack while A Karthikeyan (19) sustained injuries.

Upon receiving information, Thirumullaivoyal Police rushed to the scene and moved Ganesan's body to a government hospital for post -mortem examination.

Avadi City Police said that they arrested all the accused within six hours of the attack, on Tuesday morning.

The six accused - B Sadasivam (31), his brother, B Anbazhagan (37), their father, A Balakrishnan (65), their cousins, B Selvam (40), B Velu (36), and Brito alias Peter - were produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.