The police are looking for seven men to assist them in the investigations into the murder of a shop assistant in Kampung Kovil, Kepala Batas near here early yesterday morning.

Penang CID chief SAC Mazlan Kesah said the men, who were from Kepala Batas, were believed to be known to the victim, A. Rathanam, 27.

He said the victim was allegedly murdered after quarrelling with a group o men who were eating in front of a house in Kampung Kovil at 5.15 am.

The victim was hacked with a machete and hit on the head with a flower pot, he added.

Mazlan said the police were looking for Satyaseelan Munnindy, 23, Devraj Murugaya, 24, Navhin Thannimalai, 20, Kirubakaran Muniandy, 21, Sarran Raaj Nair Ravuni, 21, Suresh Kumar Subramaniam, 18, and Sharma Govindan, 28.

He said the victim died while being treated at the Seberang Jaya Hospital at 12.50pm.

Following the incident, police detained a 24-year-old man at his house in Kepala Batas at 10.30 am yesterday and initial investigation showed that the motive of the killing was revenge.

Mazlan said the police found a machete, three broken pieces of a flower pot and a helmet with blood stain at the scene.

Those with information on the whereabouts of the wanted men could contact Seberang Perai CID chief DSP Alzafny Ahmad or investigation officer ASP Md Zailani Md Zain at 012-5788991 or the nearest police station.