Four members of a family, including two women, were hacked to death allegedly by three persons due to previous enmity, at Palladam in the district, police said on Monday.

One person has been detained in connection with the crime, said police.

However, relatives and friends of the deceased declined to accept the bodies till all the culprits were brought to book. They staged a demonstration at Palladam in support of their demand. Senior police officials rushed to the spot to pacify them.

The deceased, identified as Senthil Kumar, his mother Pushpavathi, cousin Mohan and another relative Rathinambal, were found dead with several cut injuries on their bodies near the house located close to Senthil Kumar's shop in Kallakinaru, Palladam, said police.

Their bodies were shifted to the government hospital, Palladam, for post-mortem.

Initial enquiries by the police revealed that one Venkatesh, who worked as driver for Senthil Kumar, started drinking liquor along with two others who accompanied him, near the shop owned by Senthil Kumar on September 3 night, provoking the latter to advise them to disperse, a senior police official said.

However, Senthil Kumar found himself surrounded by the gang which started inflicting cut injuries on him. Hearing his cries for help, his cousin, mother and another relative rushed to his rescue but were hacked to death, he said.

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