At least nine people died on Sunday in a deadly farmers clash in Uttar Pradesh state India whereby farmers in northern India were protesting new agricultural reforms.
Tension was heightened on Monday as demonstrators torched a police vehicle.
According to the irate farmers, convoy belonging to a government minister, his son and the state’s deputy chief minister ran over and killed four people at the demonstration.
However, the Minister said the demonstrators pelted the driver, causing him to lose control of his vehicle.
Five more people died after the angry protesters set fire to several cars. Out of the five, four were supporters of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
On Monday, the protesters kept the bodies of the four dead farmers in glass cases for display around the protest site.
The police, who detained several opposition figures on their way to the scene including Priyanka Gandhi from the Congress party, banned
gatherings, cut off mobile internet services and sent extra forces to the scene.
Following the frustration and detention of opposition leaders, dozens of opposition supporters staged a protest in the city and set fire to at least one police vehicle.
Local Congress chief Akhilesh Yadav was detained by dozens of police in state capital Lucknow.
Opposition parties also organised other protests that were held in Bangalore and New Delhi.
Although Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government says the Agricultural reforms will infuse much-needed energy and capital in the sector, farmers fear the changes will leave them at the mercy of big corporations.
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