MP: Villagers, extortion gang exchange fire, 1 gangster killed

Villagers in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh gunned down a man who was part of a gang that had allegedly come to extort money from them, police said Saturday.

The gang had demanded Rs 50,000 from the residents of Barsa Manpur village, in Kelaras area here, about a week back and the gunfight took place when they arrived early Saturday morning to collect the money, Superintendent of Police Amit Sanghi said.

The person who was killed in the gun battle is yet to be identified and efforts were on to uncover his as well as the gang's details, the SP added.

Other members of the gang managed to flee following the incident but some of them may have been injured, he said.

The official said that villagers had earlier informed Nirar police station about the gang's extortion demand.

"Blank cartridges have been found at the spot. The villagers fired licensed guns. A case of attempt to murder has been registered against the unidentified gang members on the complaint of the villagers," he informed.

Villagers have told police that they fired their guns in self defence, Sanghi informed.