Bandit, villagers clash in India: 14 killed

Three others were seriously injured in the Friday morning clash which erupted when outlaws stormed the village of Bhanwarpura, 40km from the state capital Bhopal, to abduct one of its residents, they said.

"At least eight of those killed have been identified as residents of Bhanwarpura," state Home Secretary Bhagirath Prasad told AFP.

The bandits had a grudge against the villagers because they had recently shot at one of their gang members, Prasad said, adding police reinforcements had been sent to the village.

For nearly a century, police have failed to tackle bandits who hold absolute sway in the rugged Chambal ravines of Madhya Pradesh, India's largest state.

Meanwhile, Indian soldiers shot dead Friday five guerrillas from an outlawed separatist group in the troubled northeastern state of Assam, police said.