VEHARI, Sept 21: Luddan police failed to arrest the accused who had shot dead six family members, including his wife, over a marriage issue in Kot Sadaat village on Sept 7, some 35kms from here.

The Luddan police had arrested some of the relatives and friends of the accused for interrogation, but they did not disclose the hideout of main accused Bashir Ahmed and his half a dozen accomplices.

The Luddan SHO admitted that the arrested people had yet not provided any information about the accused, but he hoped that the accused would be arrested soon.

Some close friends of the victim family said accused Bashir Ahmed had approached the local police with the help of some influential people of the area. According to them, accused Bashir had allegedly murdered his daughter about a year ago at Mian Channu. He was also involved in several heinous crimes, including kidnapping and theft, but they said the police did not register any case against him.

A source said the police were informed of the hideout of the accused, but they would not arrest him till the recommendation of some influential people of the area.