Jabalpur, Jan 28 (IANS): A day after four people were killed in a violent clash in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur, family members and villagers staged a massive protest on the Jabalpur-Damoh Highway on Tuesday.

The protest began when police arrived in Timri village to hand over the bodies for last rites. Family members, supported by villagers, placed the bodies on the road and demanded the immediate arrest of the accused.

A large number of villagers, including women and children, joined the protest organized by members of the Brahmin Samaj. Jabalpur MP Ashish Dubey also attended to show his support.

Senior police officials and district administration intervened, urging the families to perform the last rites. They assured that multiple teams had been deployed to apprehend the accused.

The clash erupted on Monday in Timri village, under the jurisdiction of Patan police station, due to a long-standing rivalry between the Pathak and Sahu families over gambling activities.

Eyewitnesses revealed that members of the Pathak family, including Satish and Manish Pathak, attended a gathering to resolve the month-long conflict. However, they were ambushed by members of the Sahu family, who were allegedly armed with sharp weapons.

The attack resulted in the deaths of four Pathak family members -- Satish Pathak, Manish Pathak, and two others.

Two others, Vipin Dubey and Mukesh Dubey, were critically injured and taken to the hospital by police.

The feud reportedly began after the Pathak family objected to gambling activities organized by the Sahu family near their home. Attempts to mediate the issue, including a recent village meeting, failed to prevent the escalation.

Following the attack, the accused members of the Sahu family fled the scene.

Police assured the public that efforts were underway to locate and arrest the perpetrators.