NEW DELHI, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Two days after the killing of six farmers in central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, local government Thursday admitted that police firing caused casualties.
"The autopsy report and the empty cartridges found at the spot have established that it were bullets fired by the police that killed the farmers," the state's Home Minister Bhupendra Singh told media.
Earlier, Singh denied police firing killed protesting farmers and blamed "miscreants" for opening fire on them.
"My earlier statement was based on the initial report. Even officers were not aware of the facts at that time," Singh said.
The killings took place on Tuesday at Pipaliamandi area in Mandsaur district, about 325 km west of Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh.
Six people were killed and two others wounded in the incident. Police said the agitating farmers set ablaze several vehicles.
The killings triggered widespread condemnation especially from opposition parties, who accused ruling Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) of being "at war with the farmers."
Authorities fearing further clashes clamped curfew in the district and deployed huge contingents of police and paramilitary to enforce restrictions. Internet services were also blocked to prevent agitating farmers from further organizing.
Reports said police have taken over 60 persons in custody in connection with violent incidents.
Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced an increased compensation of 155,138 U.S. dollars and government jobs for the families who lost their kin in Tuesday's firing incident. The wounded would also get a compensation of 7,750 U.S. dollars, besides free treatment at government hospital.
Farmers in Madhya Pradesh and neighboring Maharashtra have been protesting since the beginning of this month demanding billions of dollars in debt relief and better prices for their produce.
The protesting farmers threw their produce and milk into the streets in a bid to show their anger.
The farmers said despite making steady increase in their productivity, the government's apathy has been forcing them to sell their produce, especially vegetables at throwaway prices.
In April, over 100 farmers from Tamil Nadu staged unusual demonstrations during their 41-day protest in New Delhi's Jantar Mantar.
