Police today detained five men suspected of being involved in the murder case of a teenager at a car-wash centre in Lebuh Carnarvon, here yesterday.

Penang CID Chief SAC Datuk Mazlan Kesah said the men, aged between 27 and 51, were detained around Bukit Tengah, Jelutong, Bandar Baru and Air Itam.

"All were detained in a special operation which began at 2am until 9am today," he said when contacted here.

He said three of those detained were workers at the same premises. All were remanded this afternoon.

In the incident at 7.30 pm yesterday, Muneeswaran, 16, a worker at the unlicensed car wash centre, was found dead with bruises and lash marks all over his body.

Police also found broken plastic chairs and a 0.9-metre electric cable which was suspected to have been used to beat Muneeswaran who was an orphan at the private orphanage in Jalan Scotland here.