Farmers' protest: Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia detained on way to Mandsaur

Ratlam/ Neemuch: Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia was on Tuesday arrested along with some party leaders while on way to Mandsaur, the epicentre of the agrarian unrest in Madhya Pradesh, where prohibitory orders are in force.

Superintendent of Police Manoj Singh said Scindia was arrested along with Congress MP Kantilal Bhuria and other party leaders at Dhodar checkpoint in Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh.

Before their detention, the Congress leaders and their supporters staged a sit-in at the toll booth demanding that they be allowed to visit Mandsaur.

"Section 144 has been imposed in Mandsaur and, therefore, this makes it absolutely clear there is no peace there. I want to go alone but still the police is not permitting me," Scindia told media prior to his arrest, as per IANS.

The farmers' agitation in the state over loan waiver and remunerative prices for farm produce, which began on June 1, took a violent turn on June 6 when five protesters were killed in police firing at Mandsaur.

Subsequently, there was a bandh and several incidents of arson and stone-pelting as the agitation spread to Neemuch, Dhar, Ratlam and Jhabua in western MP.

Congress leader booked for inciting people:

In a related development, Congress MLA Shakuntala Khatik was booked for allegedly inciting people to set ablaze a police station.

A video, which went viral, purportedly showed Khatik inciting people to set a police station ablaze.

The video was shot on June 8 when Khatik, who represents Karera Assembly segment in Shivpuri district, was holding a protest at Karera Police Station against the killing of farmers in Mandsaur.

Karera's Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Anurag Sujania said the FIR was registered against Khatik, block Congress president Venus Goyal and others early today.

They were booked under the IPC sections pertaining to rioting, unlawful assembly, punishment for obscene acts or words in public and assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty, he said.

Meanwhile, MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced a slew of measures to end farmers' woes in the state.

Chouhan sat on an indefinite fast in Bhopal on Saturday with an appeal for peace.

He ended his fast on Sunday, saying peace had returned, and assured people that those responsible for the death of farmers would be punished severely. 

A high-voltage political drama was also witnessed on June 8, when Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi was detained on his way to Mandsaur to meet the family members of the farmers killed in police firing.

(With Agency inputs)