VEHARI, Oct 19: Mailsi police, instead of arresting the accused who allegedly shaved off the head of a woman in Mauza Shamun on Thursday, took into custody some of their relatives on Saturday.

DSP Habib Ghumman said the houses of the accused were found locked when police raided there.

He did not disclose the names of the arrested people. He admitted that the arrested had not yet provided any information, but expressed the hope that the accused would be arrested soon.

Meanwhile, some people claimed that Sarwar Mai had eloped with her lover. However, her brother Karam Husain claimed that she was still in landlord Jahangir Tareen’s custody.

He said the landlord and his accomplices were threatening him with dire consequences if he continued to pursue the case.

A punchayat headed by landlord Jahangir Tareen had ordered on Thursday shaving off the head and eyebrows of Sarwar Mai, blackening her face and made her walk in the village on the allegation of loose morals levelled against her by her husband. Sarwar’s clothes were torn apart when she resisted implementation of the `sentence’ and was again forced to walk in village streets half-naked.