MP farmers' agitation: Police assures continuous patrolling

Mandsaur (Madhya Pradesh) [India], June 8 (ANI): The Madhya Pradesh Police on Thursday stated that continuous patrolling is on and at least sixty two people have been detained in connection with the farmers' agitation in the violence-hit district. Superintendent of Police (SP) O.P. Tripathi, who has been transferred in the wake of the firing in the district that left five farmers dead, said various cases have been filed in connection with several incidents of violence. "The proceeding of the legal action on several anti-social elements has started. The culprits are being picked on the basis of photo and video footage available and are being arrested. There shall be strict actions on the ones who indulge in such incidents from now on. Some people have been arrested in the concerned police station," O. P. Tripathi told ANI. He further said that irrespective of the political identity, anybody involved in the violence are being treated under particular Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections and proper actions will be taken against them. Meanwhile, new Mandsaur District Magistrate Om Prakash Srivastava said proper security arrangements have been made including security forces and officials being put on duty in the district to maintain calm. "Give me 2 hrs, we are holding meeting. If situation is better than yesterday, will give orders in 1-2 hours," he said. "I have just returned to the district so the details of the arrests are to be provided by the SP. Proper security arrangements has been made. Security forces and officials are put on duty in the district to maintain the situation. The culprits shall be given strict punishments but the ones who follow law and order should trust the administration," he added. Farmers in western Madhya Pradesh are protesting since June 1 demanding higher Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for their produce, among others. Five persons were killed on Tuesday as the farmers' agitation turned violent. The farmers had yesterday resorted to violence and arson in western Madhya Pradesh despite prohibitory measures, posing a major challenge for Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and providing a rallying point for the opposition parties. In view of the volatile situation, the Centre had rushed 1,100 personnel of the RAF to the violence-hit state where the farmers have been agitating for loan waiver and better crop prices. The Shivraj Singh Chouhan Government announced certain measures, including a loan settlement scheme for those cultivators who had defaulted on repayment of farm loan borrowed by them earlier. The scheme will cover around six lakh farmers, with accumulated dues of Rs. 6,000 crore, according to the government. (ANI)