Farmers' stir turns violent in MP town, 6 bikes set ablaze

Dhar: A protest by farmers in Sardarpur town in the district turned violent this morning as six motorcycles were set on fire and two shops were damaged after an argument broke out between the agitating farmers and shopkeepers over keeping the shops shut, police said.

The incident took place when the farmers reached the market area in Sardarpur town, around 40 kms from here, to close the shops as part of their ongoing agitation, which was launched in parts of the state yesterday.

"A group of farmers reached around 8 am to force shut the shops in Sardarpur local market. However, an argument broke out between the agitating farmers and the shopkeepers," Dhar Superintendent of Police Virendra Singh said.

"Following the argument, six motorcycles belonging to the farmers were burnt, while two shops were damaged," he added.

Singh said that police force has been deployed there and the situation is under control.

Later, some farmers also staged a protest against the incident at Sardarpur police station.

Farmers in several parts of western Madhya Pradesh launched a ten-day long agitation, stopping supply of milk, food grains and vegetables to protest the lack of "good prices" for their farm produce.

Protesters had stopped vehicles carrying fruits, vegetables and food grains and emptied milk containers on roads.

"We gave a call for protest through the social media which evoked a good response from farmers. Prices of food grains have nosedived and farmers are not even recovering the money they invested," MP Kisan Sena secretary Jagdish Rawalia had told PTI yesterday.

Farmers in Indore, Ujjain, Dewas, Jhabua, Neemuch and Mandsaur districts are supporting the protest, he claimed.