Amritsar, March 23 -- Farmers owing allegiance to the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) on Saturday organised statewide protests against the state government over the police crackdown against protesting farmers. They burnt effigies of Punjab chief minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann and sought release of detained farmers besides compensation for "vandalised" tractor-trailers.

On the call of the farmer organisation that spearheaded the sit-in at Shambhu at Haryana border, gatherings were held in 551 villages in 18 districts during which farmers protested against Bhagwant Mann-led state government, KMSC president Sukhwinder Singh Sabhra mentioned in a press release.

Addressing the protesters at various places, leaders said, "Bhagwant Mann,...