Rahul Gandhi leaves for Mandsaur, police say they will stop him

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today left Delhi for Mandsaur where five farmers were killed during protests earlier this week even as the local police made it clear that he will not be allowed to enter the district.

Gandhi left this morning for the district and would enter Madhya Pradesh from Rajasthan.

However, Superintendent of Police of Neemuch Manoj Kumar Singh said the Congress leader will not be allowed to enter the violence-hit district where the situation remains tense.

If the Congress leader tries to enter the district, he will be detained, the SP said.

The Congress yesterday termed as "coldblooded murder" the killing of five farmers in police firing in Madhya Pradesh and questioned the prime minister's silence over it.

The Congress accused the BJP of "acting as a curse of death for Indian farmers".

AICC spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said yesterday that it was insulting and unfortunate that the BJP-led NDA government was in denial mode over the firing and accused it of spreading rumours and canards over who fuelled the farmers' protest.

He also hit out at the BJP for denying permission to people who wanted to go and express solidarity with the bereaved farmers, including Gandhi.

The Congress vice president is visiting Mandsaur to meet the kin of the five persons who were killed in violence during the farmers' agitation.

Five persons were killed on Tuesday as the farmers' agitation turned violent in Mandsaur, prompting the authorities to clamp curfew in the trouble-hit area.

Mandsaur has been on the boil since the farmers' agitation in the district turned violent.

Farmers in western Madhya Pradesh are protesting since June 1 over various demands.

-PTI