The villagers later handed over the dacoits to sub-inspector in-charge of Indapur police station Suresh Wable. The dacoits, who have been remanded to police custody, are now being interrogated to find out their suspected involvement in other crimes of similar nature.

Meanwhile, the Pune rural police have launched a massive manhunt to track down their four accomplices who made good their escape while taking advantage of the chaos that ensued.

Among the arrested dacoits were Tukaram Lonchya Shinde (38), Shiva Hira Kale (56), Vijay Pandurang Kale (20), Tengya Somya Bhosale (26), Bhamtya Gajya Bhosale (55), Chandar Dhondiba Kale (55), Shaishav Dilip Shinde (19), Ananta Dilip Shinde (21) and Sushil Osman Shinde (19).

Police ascertained the identities of the dacoits who made good their escape as Raja Hunkarya Bhosale, Pakya Hunkarya Bhosale, Harshad Hunkarya Bhosale and Duryodhan Inglisha Bhosale.

According to the police all the 13 members of the gang are related to each other. Tukaram Shinde, Shiva Kale, Vijay Kale, Tengya Bhosale, Bhamtya Bhosale, Chandar Kale, Shaishav Shinde, Ananta Shinde and Sushil Shinde reside at various hamlets in the outskirts of Indapur town while Raja Bhosale, Pakya Bhosale, Harshad Bhosale and Duryodhan Bhosale hail from Kathi village in Malshiras taluka of Solapur district.

Police said the gang had attacked Nimgaon Ketki resident Laxman Govind Farande along with his four relatives on the road linking Nimgaon Ketki with neighbouring Adling Mala hamlet around 10 pm on Monday. Farande and his relatives alerted the villagers after reaching at Nimgaon Ketki. Over 100 villagers formed search parties and started combing the entire area.

The dacoits entered the village and targeted two residences and a shop. The villagers, who returned after hearing the cries for help by the victims, spotted the dacoits running away and started chasing them. About a fortnight back, residents of Jambhulwadi hamlet near Katraj had killed two dacoits and injured three of them.