Police are on the lookout for a four-member family, which allegedly hacked to death a garment factory worker for having an illicit relationship with the wife of one of the family members, in Tirupur.

According to police, Murugesan, working as a tailor, was hacked to death by a gang last night near his house. Investigations revealed that Murugesan, who has sent his wife for delivery to her parents’ house a month ago, had developed illicit relationship with a woman in the neighbourhood.

Manikkam was shocked to see his wife in compromising position with Murugesan at his house about three weeks ago. He locked the house from outside and informed the police. The police, who arrived at the spot, warned both Murugesan and the woman, and freed them.

But Manikkam’s family was not pacified. After sending his wife to her parents’ house, Manikkam, his brother, and parents, waited for Murugesan to return. When Murugesan came home last night, all the four accosted him and hacked him to death with machetes and knives, and fled the area.

On information, police recovered the body and sent it for post-mortem. A manhunt is on for the absconding family, and two others who assisted them in the crime.