Ayodhya, May 24 (IANS): Police in Ayodhya have arrested the main accused in the murder of five members of a family, after a brief encounter in the Kuchera forests.

A constable was injured when the accused, Pawan, opened fire but he was finally overpowered after he fell in the thickets and was shot thrice on the leg in retaliatory fire.

Pawan and three accomplices had stormed Horilal's house under Inyatpur police circle early Sunday and slit their throats with a sharp-edged weapon.

Besides Horilal and his wife, the victims included three children, all below 10 years of age.

The assailant was known to the family, according to the police.

Ayodhya SSP Shailesh Pandey, said: "We formed multiple teams to nab the accused within an hour of the murders, which were executed by four men led by Pawan. While three were nabbed within hours of the crime, we announced a Rs 25,000 bounty on the mastermind, who was finally caught in the Kuchera forest area after a 30-minute encounter."