NEW DELHI: As many as 74 incidents of violence have been reported due to agrarian crisis during January-June in 2015, a 100 per cent jump from the last year, due to protests against vexed Land bill, demand for higher MSP, short supply of farm inputs, as per the government data.
Maximum number of incidents of violence have been reported in Maharashtra at 17, followed by 12 in Haryana, 8 in Bihar, 7 in West Bengal, 6 in Punjab and 5 each in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and rest in other states.
One farmer in Gujarat lost his life, while nine others were injured at different places in these incidents of violence due to farm crisis in the first six months of this year, the data showed.
A total of 37 incidents of violence because of farm distress were reported during the corresponding period of 2014 in which one farmer had died in Punjab, while 82 others were injured in different places.
As many as 26 policemen were also injured in these violence-related incidents due to agrarian crisis.
The incidents of farm crisis have come up due to protest against the controversial Land acquisition bill, which is yet to get Parliamentary approval, demands for higher minimum support price and protests against inadequate supply of fertilizers and seeds.