Family members of Yavanna alias Yavan, 25, who was stabbed to death in Chilkalguda on Thursday night, staged a protest outside the house of a young woman, allegedly linked to the case, demanding strict action against those responsible for the killing.

The deceased, a resident of Jawaharnagar, succumbed to injuries after he was allegedly attacked by unidentified persons at Indranagar Colony in Chilkalguda at around 9.30 p.m. on Thursday.

According to the police, Yavanna had come to Chilkalguda to meet his friends when he was attacked by a group of persons and sustained serious knife injuries. He was rushed to a hospital for treatment, where he died within an hour.

The Chilkalguda police have registered a murder case and launched an investigation.

Preliminary investigation strongly suggests the attack may have stemmed from a love affair, though officials said all angles are being examined.

Family members of the deceased alleged that the young woman’s family was behind the attack and claimed the murder was the fallout of a relationship gone wrong.

A purported audio recording of a conversation between Yavanna and the woman has surfaced on social media platforms, in which she is allegedly heard warning him that her family would come after him.

Police said they were yet to examine the audio clip and verify its authenticity. “We are looking into all available evidence, including the call recording circulating on social media. Its authenticity is yet to be established,” a police official said.

Following the post-mortem, the body was handed over to the family for final rites.

During the protest, relatives raised slogans demanding immediate arrest of all those involved. Police deployed additional personnel in the area to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident. Officials said special teams had been formed to trace those behind the attack, and bandobast had been intensified in the locality as the investigation continues.