Madhya Pradesh Farmers' agitation: Stone-pelting and arson near Bhopal

Police detain farmers who were pelting stones while protesting near Bhopal. Pic/PTI

The farmers' agitation in Madhya Pradesh reached the doorsteps of the state capital Bhopal yesterday, with incidents of arson and stone-pelting in Fanda area.

Police baton-charged the protesters and arrested at least 27 of them in the area, some 20 km outside Bhopal.

"Some unidentified persons set a truck on fire near a spot where Congress workers were protesting. Then some men hurled stones at the policemen present there," deputy inspector general of police (DIG) Raman Singh Sikarwar said.

"We also resorted to lathi-charge to disperse stone-pelters," the DIG said.

Another farmer dies
A 26-year-old farmer died in Badavan village of violence-hit Mandsaur district, with locals yesterday alleging that he was beaten up by policemen.

However, police said the circumstances of his death were unclear.

6 No of farmers who have died so far