MP govt sanctions release of Rs 6 crore to Mandsaur victims

INDORE:

Madhya Pradesh government

on Tuesday sanctioned the release of Rs 6 crore as compensation to the next of the kin of six farmers

killed in violence

, including five who died in police firing, following protest in Pipliamandi during farmers' agitation in Mandsaur district.

"I have received today the state government's sanction for disbursing Rs 6 crore to six people who lost their lives during violence," Mandsaur district collector OP Shrivastava told TOI.

Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had initially announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to kin of the deceased in the morning of June 6 - the day five farmers were killed during firing in Pipliamandi area of Mandsaur. By night, he had raised the compensation to Rs 1 crore and offered government jobs to one family member of each deceased.

Shrivastava said the district authorities have a laid down the formats for disbursing compensation. The nature and amount of compensation for various categories are defined. "Say for example, Rs 4 lakh can be given to a snake bite victim. But in this case, the compensation was a special announcement and the amount was big," he said.

Shrivastava had made a proposal for the sanction and sent it to the state government. "The proposal was accepted and the compensation sanctioned under chief minister's discretionary fund," he said.

As violence escalated during farmers' protest seeking hike in procurement prices of their produce and loan waivers, agitators had turned violent in Pipliamandi on June 6.

The farmers tried to ransack a dairy shop and set it afire. They later moved towards the Pipliamandi police station, when shots were fired at them in which five died.

The deceased were identified as Abhishek Dinesh Patidar, 19, of Barkheda Panth, Poonamchand alias Babloo Jagdish Patidar, 23, of Takrawad, Chainram Ganpat Patidar, 30, of Nayakheda, Satyanarayan Mangilal Dhangar, 22 of Lodh, and Kanhaiyalal Dhurilal Patidar, 44, of Chillod Piplia.

On June 8, one Ghanshyam Dhakad, 32, Badwan, was rushed to MY Hospital in Indore by the police, where he was pronounced dead. His family alleged that he died in police custody.

They refused to perform his final rites on June 10 in Badwan village, seeking same compensation as Pipliamandi victim. As situation grew tense, Chouhan buckled and agreed to their demands.