DETECTIVES have launched a murder hunt following the death of a father of four a day after he was attacked by a gang.

Mr Sellathurai Easwaran, 40, was found at his home in St Winefride’s Avenue, Manor Park, on Sunday November 7 at 11.20am. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A post mortem examination held later at East Ham Mortuary gave the cause of death as head injuries.

Police believe he had been assaulted outside Akgul Foodstores, a 24-hour shop in Barking Road, East Ham, some time around 2.30am on Saturday.

Officers driving by on routine patrol spotted him lying on the ground at 3am and took him to Newham General Hospital. Plaistow. He left later that morning and returned home.

Detectives are studying CCTV footage but now believe that Mr Easwaran had been involved in some sort of argument with up to four males outside the store shortly before he was found. It is not clear if he had been robbed.

The four are thought to be aged in their late teens to early twenties and were wearing either hoods or baseball caps.

An incident room has opened at Barking Police Station on (020) 8345 3982.