Dalit man dies in forest rangers' firing in MP, 15 booked for murder

Fifteen people have been booked for murder after allegedly opening fire and shooting dead a Dalit man following an altercation between his family and forest department officials in Shivpuri district, police said.

According to the FIR, the altercation began after water was splashed on a forest officer at a handpump in Fatehpur village of Karera Tehsil in the district, police said on Monday.

Karera police station in-charge, Rakesh Sharma said: "We have filed an FIR against 15 people based on a complainant by victim's wife Saroj Balmiki in this regard."

The FIR lodged on Sunday states that around 2 pm two daughters of Saroj Balmiki, who belong to the Dalit community, went to fill water at the water pump. Shortly afterwards, a few forest Rangers including SK Sharma, also arrived there.

Meanwhile, some water was splashed on Sharma, who allegedly started abusing the girls over this, according to the complaint filed by Saroj.

"According to Saroj, one of the girls rushed home and returned with her father Madan and her uncle Pankaj after which a fight broke out between them and the forest officers. When the Balmiki brothers attempted to flee, the forest staff shot at them resulting in the death of Madan. Pankaj sustained a bullet injury on his leg," the police officer said.

Pankaj is out of danger, police said.

Pankaj alleged: "When we reached the spot in the forest there were many officers and they started to manhandle us. They fired at us and my brother was killed on the spot. I was shot in my leg.