The Maharashtra Police on Tuesday said they have arrested 13 persons, including moneylenders, on charges of abetment of suicide of nine members of a family in Sangli district, PTI reported.

The dead are part of a family of two brothers – Manik Vhanmore and Popat Vhanmore. The brothers, along with their wives, mother, and children were found dead on Monday in their homes, which are 1 km apart in the district’s Mhaisal town.

While bodies of six family members were found at Manik Vhanmore’s house, three were found at the house owned by Popat Vhanmore.

The police said a note from one of the houses showed that the family took the step due to debt and subsequent harassment from moneylenders, The Indian Express reported.

Superintendent of Police Dikshit Gedam said that a case has been registered against 25 persons from whom the brothers had borrowed money, according to PTI.

“Out of these 25, the police have so far arrested 13 people under Section 306 [abetment of suicide], 341 [wrongful restraint] of the Indian Penal Code, and relevant sections of the Maharashtra Money Lending [Regulation] Act and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe [Prevention of Atrocities] Act,” Gedam said.

He added: “Some of the arrested accused already have cases related to moneylending against them.”

Local Crime Branch Inspector Ajay Sindkar said that teams have been formed to arrest the remaining accused persons, who are absconding.

Sindkar added that while the brothers were regularly paying the interest on the borrowed amount, the accused persons were repeatedly and publicly harassing them, according to The Indian Express.

“The deceased persons ended their lives after the harassment became unbearable,” he said.