13 including money lenders arrested for suicide by 9 of Maharashtra family

Sangli suicide: The nine bodies were found in two houses, about 1.5km apart, in Mhaisal village over 350km from Mumbai

The Sangli district police on Tuesday arrested 13 people including money lenders in connection with the suicide of nine members of a family found dead at Mhaisal in Maharashtra, people aware of the matter said.

Sangli suicide: Police said the family was finding it difficult to repay money taken from various people, which was also mentioned in the suicide notes.

Police said initial investigations indicated the family had an outstanding loan of ₹1 crore borrowed in connection with their business and was under pressure to repay the principal and interest.

The nine belonged to a family of two brothers, aged 56 and 49, their mother, 72, their wives, 45 and 48, and their four children, the youngest of whom was 15 years old.

The bodies were found in two houses, about 1.5km apart, in the village over 350km from Mumbai.

“The family was finding it difficult to repay money taken from various people, which was also mentioned in the suicide notes. Due to sustained humiliation after the family failed to repay loans, they took the extreme step,” said Sangli superintendent of police Dikshit Gedam.

Those arrested were identified as Nandkumar Ramchandra Pawar (52), Rajendra Lakshman Bannne (50), Anil Lakshman Banne (35), Khanderao Shinde (37), Tatyasaheb Chougule (50), Shailesh Ramchandra Dhumal (56), Prakash Krushna Pawar (45), Sanjay Irappa Bagadi (51), Anil Balu Borade (48), Pandurang Shripati Ghorpade (56), Shivaji Laxman Kore (65), and Rekha Tatyasaheb Chougule (45). All are residents of Mhaisal.

Most of the 25 suspects booked on Monday evening under abetment to suicide charge are money lenders operating illegally in Sangli-Kolhapur belt.

Police have also invoked the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the accused.

“Seven teams have been deployed in Sangli, Solpaur, Kolhapur and Karnataka in search of other suspects,” said Gedam.

Among those on the run is Ashu Shailesh Dhumal, who is the son of Shailesh Ramchandra Dhumal who has been arrested. The Sangli district police chief said Ashu has been named in other criminal cases in connection with private money lending earlier.