Three farmers were killed and several left injured in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur district after police opened fire during a protest demanding support prices and loan waiver on Tuesday. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident fired at farmers. However, Home Minister Bhupendra Singh, denied involvement of cops in the shooting. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi attacking the BJP government said tweeted,“This govt is at war with the farmers of our country”.
Mandsaur , 350 kilometres from state capital Bhopal, is drought hit region that lists among India’s highest farmer suicides. After the firing, angry farmers ransacked, set ablaze a police station and flogged several security personnel.
The administration rushed extra forces and allegedly withdrew internet services to stop social media rumours about violence. However, the home minister rubbished the allegations.
Hundreds of farmers amassed in the district as part of their week-long protest demanding fair prices that cover their input costs, a loan waiver and a farm package to tide over losses incurred by the drought. Chief Minister announced measures to pacify the protesting farmers on Monday. However, the farmers did not call off the strike. Several regions across the state are witnessing similar protests and violence.
