Rahul Gandhi arrested ahead of his visit to violence-hit Mandsaur

NEW DELHI - Vice-President of India's Congress, Rahul Gandhi was detained and taken into preventive custody en route to violence-hit Mandsaur where he was to meet families of five people who died in police firing during farmers’ protests on Tuesday.

According to Indian media, Gandhi attempted to break past the police barricades to enter Madhya Pradesh. Gandhi told media that that he was not given a reason for his arrest. “The didn’t give any reason, just said they are arresting me. The same was done in Uttar Pradesh also,” he said.

https://twitter.com/INCIndia/status/872717030448693250

The Congress leader, earlier in a tweet, said that the state government is trying to stop him from meeting the families of farmers who were killed in farmer agitation in the region. The police officials had earlier said they will not allow Gandhi to enter district. Madhya Pradesh government maintains that the state is peaceful and that the Congress Party is merely playing politics over the farmer crisis.

https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG/status/872718003380420608