Bhopal: Six persons were killed and several others sustained injuries on Tuesday as police opened fire on agitating farmers during their ongoing agitation at Bahi Chopati, about 8 km from Mandsaur district headquarters on Mandsaur-Neemuch highway, prompting authorities to clamp curfew in the trouble-hit area.
Ujjain division commissioner M B Ojha, who is already in Mandsaur, said, “Five people were killed when police opened fire to control agitated farmers. I am personally inquiring as to under what circumstances and on whose order the police opened fire on farmers.” An injured died on way to Indore late in the evening taking the toll to six.
He said that internet services have been blocked in Mandsaur to prevent rumour-mongering. However, he denied any information about net blockade in Ujjain.
While eyewitnesses alleged that the victims suffered bullet wounds, district authorities denied that there was any firing by police on the protesters, who went on a rampage.
Home minister Bhupendra Singh denied any police firing. “There was no firing by the police. An investigation has been ordered,” he said. He claimed that the firing was initiated by ‘anti-social’ elements who had joined the mob.
Mandsaur collector SK Singh too denied the firing claim. “Curfew has been clamped in Pipalya Mandi police station area and in the rest of the district section 144 of CrPC has been imposed,” he said. A magisterial inquiry has been ordered into deaths, Singh said, adding that police categorically told him that they didn’t fire at the protesters. The deceased were identified as Kanhaiyalal Patidar, Bablu Patidar, Surendra Singh and Prem Singh Patidar. “Police have told me that neither did they fire nor did they have any orders to fire,” Singh added.
In-camera autopsy of bodies was going on and the cause of death will be known after it, the collector said, adding that families of the deceased will get financial aid.
A person who was injured identified as Murli Sharma, while another unidentified youth were referred to Indore.
Sources said that situation turned violent after group of farmers hurled stones on police party and CRPF at Bahi Chopati. After Monday late night’s protest approximately 2,000 villagers from adjoining areas of Mandsaur had gathered at Bahi Chopati.
Apprehending untoward incident, additional police force from Mandsaur and CRPF battalion had been rushed to the site.
According to locals, farmers resorted to stone pelting at police party. They also set afire around 27 trucks, one Dial 100 vehicles and three motorcycles, forcing the police and the CRPF to open fire to gain control, sources said.
On Monday night, farmers held a protest on Mandsaur railway crossing. “On Monday night, farmers near the Dalauda Police station came out on roads to protest and broke gates of a railway crossing. They also tried to harm railway tracks by changing angle of the metal attached to the sleeper. However it did not affect the services,” Mandsaur Police Superintendent OP Tripathi told said.
Angry farmers also set afire vehicles on Mandsaur-Neemuch Road. They resorted to violence in other parts of Ratlam and Mandsaur, forcing police to use force to disperse the crowd. In Suwasara area, police lobbed teargas shells as farmers damaged public property and attempted to set afire police vehicles.
In Indore, police resorted to lathicharge to disperse a crowd of farmers, which formed a peaceful procession, but turned violent damaging public property.
Farmers are on strike from June 1 to June 10, to demand loan waiver and fair price for their produce.
On Monday, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured that the government would purchase onions at Rs 8/kg and moong dal at an agreed price and to set up aRs 1,000 crore stabilization fund. Though the BharatiyaKisanSangh called off its strike, the other organisations have continued with the stir.
The state has been facing shortage of milk and vegetables, leading to price hike. Farmers threw milk on the Agra-Malwa Highway last week and barred trucks from carrying vegetables. Several parts of the state faced a similar situation.
