JINAN, May 31 -- Six people detained for suspected intentional homicide in east China's Shandong province are members of a heretic sect, local police announced on Saturday.

The victim, surnamed Wu, was beaten to death on Wednesday evening in a McDonald's outlet in the province's Zhaoyuan city after the victim refused to give her telephone number to the suspects who are trying to recruit new members for their sect, local police authority said in a statement.

All the six suspects are members of a heretic sect Quannengshen, which means almighty god, according to the statement.

Local provincial police authority vowed to severely punish various illegal activities of heretic sects to protect safety of people's life and properties.