Blackbuck poachers kill three MP cops during late-night gunbattle in Guna district

BHOPAL: Three Madhya Pradesh police personnel were allegedly killed by Blackbuck poachers in a Friday-Saturday intervening night encounter in Guna district of the central Indian state.

The incident happened at around 2.45 am, when 7-8 armed poachers on four mobikes were trying to flee with poached Blackbucks and peacocks in Aron area of the Gwalior-Chambal region's district, bordering Rajasthan.

"Our three cops, including sub inspector Rajkumar Jatav, head constable Santram Meena and constable Neeraj Bhargava, who retaliated identically to the indiscriminate firing by poachers, sustained gunshot wounds and died later. The poachers managed to flee, despite attempts by other police teams to nab them," SP-Guna Rajeev Mishra said.

"A police service rifle is missing and the empty cartridges recovered from the spot suggest that countrymade firearms were used by the poachers. Remains of 3-4 poached Blackbucks and peacocks in sacks have been recovered," he added.

Police teams were sent to the concerned forest area on specific inputs about armed poachers being present there. The personal driver of the police vehicle has been hurt and is critical at hospital.

Meanwhile, the MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan will hold an emergency high level meeting over the incident at 9.30 am in Bhopal. The home minister Narottam Mishra, chief secretary, DGP, Principal Secretary (Home) and additional DG (ADG) will be present at the meeting.