MADURAI: Tension prevailed in Kalayarkoil of Sivaganga district after the brutal murder of a 29-year-old man on Sunday night.

The victim, identified as V Sarathkumar, was hacked to death by an armed gang, which also launched an attack on his friend C Sivashankar (28) of Marakathur. The incident occurred near a liquor shop at Pulikkanmoi, sources said.

Investigations carried out by the Kalayarkoil revealed that Jana from Valaiyampatty village messaged a girl working in the office of a document writer in Kalayarkoil.

Pillappan, who runs the office, after learning about the incident, took help from his friend Sarathkumar, the victim, who, along with his friend Sivashankar, then assaulted Jana.

In retaliation, Jana formed a gang, which hacked Sarathkumar indiscriminately. While Sarathkumar died on the way to the hospital, Sivashankar, who suffered a machete wound on his arm, was admitted to Sivagangai Government Medical College Hospital.

The relatives of the victim thronged Kalayarkoil police station and blocked the Thondi road on Monday, demanding the immediate arrest of the criminals behind the murder.

They refused to accept the body until all the accused were arrested. The aggrieved relatives also appealed to the police to detain the accused under the Goondas Act.

Vehicular traffic was disrupted for over an hour. Later, the police pacified the crowd, saying that four suspects behind the killing were held, sources said.