Mandsaur: In Madhya Pradesh as farmers intensified their agitation demanding fair price and loan waiver. 3 farmers were killed and several others injured in a firing by security forces in MP’s Mandsaur district on Tuesday.

The three deceased farmers have been identified as Kanhaiya Lal Patidar of Chillod Pipaliya, Babloo Patidar, resident of Takrawad and Prem Singh.

The injured farmers include Surendra Singh and Murli Ghambir. They were rushed to a hospital in Udaipur Rajasthan.

State home minister Bhupendra Singh, however, denied that the police resorted to firing. Police sources also said it was a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) team called to assist them that fired shots at the agitating farmers, who set five buses on fire.

Singh said there were certain anti-social elements who were behind the violence and that the police would take stern action against them.

The farmers in the central state are demanding remunerative prices for their produce and a loan waiver. They are also demanding that they should be given Rs 50 per litre of milk bought from them as they spend Rs 37 per litre.

The killing of the farmer s came hours after Mandsaur collector Swatantra Kumar Singh claimed all was well in the district and that the situation was under control.

On Sunday, RSS affiliated Bharatiya Kisan Sangh announced that the agitation had been called off after a meeting with chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. However, the Bharatiya Kisan Union leading the agitation refused to do so.

Chouhan blamed “a few people for giving a wrong direction to the farmers’ protest” in a hurriedly called press conference on Monday. “If this does not stop, such people will face consequences,” said Chouhan.

He said a Rs 1,000 crore price stabilisation fund would be created and that onions would be purchased at Rs 8 per kg at 48 places in 22 districts.

But within 24 hours of the announcement made by a farmer leaders’ faction and ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders about the withdrawal of agitation, farmers clashed with police in Neemuch on Monday. At least two police personnel and many farmers were injured in the clashes.