A 42-year-old woman was murdered in front of her house at Neduvasal West village in the district on Sunday when she prevented the accused from allegedly attempting to abduct her daughter after she rejected a marriage proposal.

The police have detained four persons, including a BJP functionary, for inquiry in connection with the murder of the woman identified as S. Kaliyammal of Neduvasal West village. One of the accused, S. Vivin, 33, a native of Melaripakkam in Chengalpattu district, is the brother of Vijayalakshmi, second wife of Kaliyammal’s husband Suresh.

The police said Vivin had been insisting on marrying Kaliyammal’s second daughter. He and a few others reached Kaliyammal’s house by car in the early hours and allegedly attempted to abduct her daughter. When she resisted them, Vivin allegedly attacked her with a sword causing her death on the spot and fled the spot in the vehicle. The body of Kaliyammal was sent to the Pudukottai Government Medical College and Hospital for postmortem.

Acting on information, Vivin and three others were later nabbed by the police. According to the police, Vivin is the BJP district president of the party’s Unorganised Workers Wing of Chengalpattu South district. The Vadakadu police are investigating the case.