CHENNAI: A 34-year-old man was murdered by a group of men in Uthiramerur on Friday, suspected to be over a property dispute. The police are now searching for the suspect who is absconding with his family.

It was the villagers of Kattupakkam near Uthiramerur in Kancheepuram district who found the body of a man with injuries on his head near the lakebed on Friday morning. Based on their alert, officials from Uthiramerur station went to the spot, retrieved the body, and sent it to Chengalpattu GH for autopsy.

During the investigation, the deceased was identified as Murugan (34) of Ottanthangal village near Uthiramerur, who was working in a private firm in Maangal junction in Tiruvannamalai.

Officials said when Murugan was returning home on his bike on Thursday night, a group of men intercepted and murdered him.

Police said Murugan had an ongoing property issue with Vijayan from the same locality. As Vijayan and his family are missing, the police suspect that he could have murdered Murugan. The Uthiramerur police have registered a case and a search is on to nab Vijayan.