Violence in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur continued unabated with protestors setting fire to around eight to 10 vehicles on Wednesday. The administration have suspended cellular data services in Ratlam, Neemuch, Mandsaur and Ujjain. The state government has also sought more forces from the Centre to control the situaiton.

The tense situation followed the killing of five farmers during an agitation where they were demanding fair prices for their produce and a loan waiver from the Bharatiya Janata Party government.

Some of the protestors engaged in a scuffle with the Mandsaur collector and superintendent of police for their alleged delay in visiting the area, ANI reported. The agitators demanded that the chief minister pay a visit to Mandsaur.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday had announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore each to the victim’s families. The injured will get Rs five lakh in compensation, he added. While the government ordered an investigation into the incident, police officials denied reports that the deaths were caused by bullet injuries.

Meanwhile, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi who was scheduled to visit the families of the deceased farmers was stopped by the administration, party General Secretary Mohan Prakash told reporters. “Rahul Gandhi wanted to visit deceased farmers’ village to take part in funeral,” Prakash said. Congress leader Kamal Nath demanded Chauhan’s resignation over the incident.

Sharad Yadav of the Janata Dal (United) Party said he met Gandhi and was planning on visiting the area with the Congress scion soon, ANI reported. “I cannot recall such a massacre,” Yadav said of the farmers’ deaths. “They [officials] are pegging the toll at five, but I believe there are more.” However, BJP Union minister Venkaiah Naidu said the state was an island of peace and asked the Opposition party to “not politicise and fuel violence in the name of farmers”.