Timeline of farmer stir in MP

Although it began at Mandsaur, the protests have now spread to other districts of state

June1 Agitating farmers stop vehicles carrying milk, vegetables. At some places, they dump milk and vegetables on the roads. This goes on for the next four days.

June5 Farmers head to Pipliyamandi and forcibly shut traders’ shops. A few traders resist and their shops are vandalised. After a majority of farmers leave, traders allegedly catch hold of the remaining few and thrash them. one of the farmers suffers a head injury. Farmers allegedly burn down the houses of traders.

June 6 Farmers find out traders are at Pipliyamandi police station to lodge a complaint against them. They reach there and demand the traders be handed over to them. The police refuse and CRPF is called in. Agitated, farmers start pelting stones. The forces retaliate by firing at the farmers. Five of them are killed in two separate incidents. State home minister Bhupendra Singh says, “There were two incidents at Pipalia. In one of the incidents, police had to fire in self-defence when a mob gheraoed the police station. In the other, the police fired when there was firing from the mob.” Soon, the frenzied mob torches a dozen vehicles on the neemuch-Mhow highway.

June7 Farmers start a blockade on the highway at Barkheda with body of one of the slain farmers. They manhandle Mandsaur district collector Swatantra Kumar Singh when he requests them to perform Patidar’s last rites. The protesters relent on the cremation issue but continue the blockade during which vehicles are torched again. Police arrive nearly an hour later but maintain a safe distance