Striking at will, dacoits execute eighth plan

PUNE, March 16: Dacoits continue to spin a web around rural areas as they struck on the third consecutive day on Monday night, injuring ten persons at Shikrapur and Chakan. On Sunday evening, a youth was killed when dacoits attacked villagers in Indapur taluka. On Saturday, a woman was flung into a farm well. With Monday8217;s two incidents, the number of dacoities reported during the last two and a half months has reached eight. Two persons have been killed and 23 injured in these incidents.

Eight persons were seriously injured when six unidentified men targeted four farmhouses located at a secluded spot at Pimple Jagtap village near Shikrapur. The dacoits, armed with crowbars and iron rods, struck at the farmhouses of Babasaheb Tambe, his cousin Rambhau Tambe, Rambhau Sondkar and Sunil Bondre in Sondeshwar Mala around 9 pm.

The unidentified men, who broke open the doors with boulders, attacked the occupants immediately after forcing entry inside the four farmhouses.

During their three and a half hour long stay at Sondeshwar Mala, the desperadoes ransacked all the four farmhouses. They made good their escape with cash and jewellry, estimated at Rs 30,000.

Two hours after that, ten unidentified men struck at the residence of Dinesh Randhave on the road linking the Wadgaon Ghenand village near Chakan with the pilgrim centre of Alandi.

They forced entry into the house by breaking open its door. They attacked Randhave and his mother with knives and sticks when the duo tried to protest.Later, they fled with ornaments valued at Rs 52,000.