Morena (Madhya Pradesh): Former dacoit Jagan Gurjar and local sand mafia members exchanged gunfire at Bharra Ghat on the Chambal River in Morena district's Jhundpura area, exposing the ineffectiveness of police efforts to curb illegal sand mining operations in the region.

The violent confrontation over control of illegal sand excavation forced some mafia members to hide under tractor trolleys for nearly two hours to save their lives.

This isn't the first clash between these rivals - Jagan Gurjar had previously exchanged fire with Baniya Gurjar and Khelo Gurjar from Udaypura village approximately one year ago over the same issue.

ASP Surendrapal Singh Dawar stated that police learned about the incident through social media and news reports. "The outpost in-charge was immediately dispatched to the location where some evidence was recovered," he said.

Police officials acknowledged that former bandit Jagan Gurjar, originally from Rajasthan, has been operating in the Morena area for considerable time, engaging in illegal activities.

While authorities claim they have been taking continuous action against sand mafia operations, this latest shootout suggests otherwise. Police now promise to investigate the incident and take appropriate measures against both the sand mafia and the former dacoit.

This ongoing bloody conflict over sand mining rights in the ecologically sensitive Chambal River area continues despite previous police interventions, highlighting the lucrative nature of the illegal trade and the fierce competition between rival groups to control these operations.