20 smugglers killed in gunfights in Andhra

Hyderabad: At least 20 smugglers were killed on Tuesday in two gunfights with police in Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor district, police said.

The gunfights occurred in Seshachalam forest around 5 a.m. in two places within a radius of one km in Chandragiri mandal of Chittoor, about 500 km from Hyderabad.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Kanta Rao told reporters that over 100 smugglers and labourers helped them to attack policemen, forcing them to open fire in self-defence.