Four persons were killed and three others sustained injuries when police opened fire to control a rioting mob of farmers protesting for higher prices for their produce in Mandsaur district on Tuesday.
The farmers turned violent setting afire as many as 10 trucks, one Dial 100 vehicle and three motorcycles in Piplia Mandi area, forcing CRPF and police to open fire to gain control, official sources said.
Internet services have been suspended in parts of the state like Indore, Ujjain and Dewas, all in the western part of the state which has witnessed anger by farmers who say the government is not providing enough relief from rural distress.
For days, farmers have been holding large protests, demanding higher prices for their produce including onions and dal. They also want loans to be waived, like in the states of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, which are also governed by the BJP. In many parts of Madhya Pradesh, the demonstrations have erupted in violence, with police men being assaulted with stones, vehicles being set on fire, and shops being vandalised and looted.
Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Bhupendra Singh, however, refuted the claims that a police firing had taken place, thereby taking the blame off the cops for the death of the farmers. He also denied reports that internet connectivity had been suspended anywhere. Singh also said that he had ordered an inquiry into the firing.
Sources said many farmers were angry at the lack of government response and torched several vehicles before ringfencing a local police station at Pipalia, forcing personnel to fire at the crowd. Bullet injuries killed three on the spot and the wounded were taken to a local hospital and curfew declared in the district.
The three deceased farmers, who are all from Mandsaur district, have been identified as Kanhaiya Lal Patidar of Chillod Pipaliya, Babloo Patidar, resident of Takrawad and Prem Singh. Enraged farmers also blocked the Mhow-Nasirabad road and held up traffic for hours before being driven away by a large police force.
“This govt is at war with the farmers of our country,” Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi tweeted, attacking the BJP government in the state.
“Chief Minister boasts of being a farmer’s son. What can be worse than this that farmers are killed by police in his rule,” said Congress leader and Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, demanding a judicial inquiry into the firing.
In Indore, police resorted to lathicharge to disperse a crowd of farmers, which formed a peaceful procession, but turned violent damaging public property.
The farmers protest grew in strength and triggered violence on Tuesday, despite the assurance by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan that the government would purchase onions at Rs 8/kg and moong dal at an agreed price.
