A gang of bootleggers and a police team chasing them fired shots in the air in Dahod district of Gujarat, an official said on Wednesday.

Nobody was injured in the incident.

The gang also tried to run over the police personnel using a vehicle on Tuesday night near Sagtala village in Devgadh Baria taluka near the Gujarat-Madhya Pradesh border, he said.

"While the gang fled from the spot following an exchange of 4 to 5 rounds in the air from both sides, a State Monitoring Cell (SMC) team managed to stop one of the vehicles used by bootleggers to run over the policemen," said Assistant Superintendent of Police, Dahod district, Jagdish Bangarva.

He said the SMC team was keeping a watch at a village under the Sagtala police station on Tuesday night to nab bootleggers.

"When the team asked a suspected vehicle to stop, its occupants opened fire on police. They fired nearly two-three rounds in the air. SMC officials retaliated by firing some rounds in the air. No one was injured in the firing," said Bangarva.

According to sources, the liquor mafia was involved in smuggling alcohol into 'dry' Gujarat from Madhya Pradesh.

While the gang fled, police seized one of their cars which had rammed into an SMC vehicle, said the ASP.

An FIR under section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act is being registered at Sagtala police station against the accused, he added.

The SMC, a branch of Gujarat Police, is tasked with enforcing the Gujarat Prohibition Act (Amended) 2017 and the Prevention of Gambling Act 1887.

Its mandate also includes verifying information received from the public regarding the illegal sale, possession, transport, import, etc. of liquor as well as illegal gambling activities and take necessary legal action.