Today five farmers died and several were injured in Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh after police allegedly opened fire during a farmers’ protest to demand better prices in the drought-ravaged region that clocks among India’s highest suicide rates of farmers.
Agitated farmers ransacked and set ablaze a nearby police station and thrashed several security personnel after the firing. The administration had rushed extra forces and withdrew internet services to tamp down on social media rumors fanning violence. Home minister of Madhya Pradesh, Mr. Bhupendra Singh said five farmers died in two separate incidents.
The angry farmers accused that the police and CRPF of opening fire at them, while the district official and the state government maintained that no orders were issued to personnel to open the fire. On the other hand, state police claimed that the protesters were using firearms, thus leading to the deaths. Chief Minister of MP Shivraj Singh Chouhan has ordered a judicial probe into the deaths of those farmers and announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of the deceased and the assistance of Rs 1 lakh to the injured.
Internet services have been suspended in the western part of the state, like in Indore, Ujjain and Dewas. in which they have witnessed anger by farmers who say the government is not providing enough relief from rural distress.
But a member of Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangh, Mr. Gajendra Tokas said, “The police started firing to disperse the crowd. Farmers were not carrying any weapons”. Before the firing, the farmers allegedly threw stones at the police. Police also said that last night, those farmers tried to vandalize train tracks in the area.
Many political leaders have commented on the incident. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “This government is at war with farmers”. MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who has led the MP government since 2005, blamed the opposition for inciting the violence and said his administration always stands with farmers and will stand with them. According to him “The Congress has inspired them to make this event a violent agitation. And Congress leaders are trying to do this. The incident is sad and unfortunate”.
Many farmers were angry at the lack of response by the state government and torched several vehicles before ring-fencing the local police station at Pipalia. They forced personnel to fire at the crowd. Bullet injuries killed five on the spot and the injured were taken to a nearby hospital. Angry farmers also blocked the Nasirabad Road and held up traffic for a few hours before being driven away by a large police force. Curfew declared in the district after the incident.
State Home Minister Bhupendra Singh said, “Some anti-social elements” were behind the violence and that police will take stern action against them. But other officials indicated that it was not the police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has fired the bullets.
