BHOPAL:  A political slugfest has erupted in Madhya Pradesh after three police personnel were killed in a gunbattle with poachers in Guna district of Chambal region on wee hours of Sunday. Ruling BJP leaders, including state party chief VD Sharma, MLA Rameshwar Sharma and Jyotiraditya Scindia-loyalist minister Mahendra Singh Sisodiya, have accused the erstwhile Raghogarh royal family, headed by former CM and Congress Rajya Sabha member Digvijaya Singh of protecting the poachers.

“Aron area forms part of the erstwhile Raghogarh riyasat and local residents are alleging that the erstwhile royal family has been protecting the poachers from whose houses in Bidoria village, arms have been seized by the police. We demand a probe into the allegations of Raghogarh fort’s connection with the poachers,” Sharma demanded.

The statements were preceded by the allegations by Dilip Saxena, a relative of one of the slain police personnel Neeraj Bhargava. “The poachers were patronised by a big politician from Raghogarh, which is why they didn’t fear the police,” the deceased policeman’s uncle told journalists in Guna.

Digvijaya Singh and his son and Raghogarh MLA Jaivardhan Singh responded to the allegations by posting on social media the pictures of poachers Naushad and Shahzad (both brothers killed by police on Saturday) with a newly inducted BJP leader Hitendra Singh (Bunty Bana) who was formerly with the Congress.