Story highlights Over 1,000 paramilitary troops have been sent to Madhya Pradesh to quell protests

The state's Home Minister admitted "five people died from police bullets" on Tuesday

New Delhi (CNN) Violence has spread across the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, after police opened fire on crowds of protestors Tuesday killing five.

Over 1,000 paramilitary troops have been sent to the state in a bid to quell the unrest, which has seen buses torched and buildings set ablaze.

The outbreak of discontent began over a week ago in the district of Mandsaur, as farmers -- frustrated with the state's current agricultural policies -- took to the streets to demand higher crop prices and a waiver on existing bank loans.

The drought-ridden state is one of several in India to have suffered from back-to-back crop failures in recent years.

Photos: India's drought crisis India was hit by the worst drought in decades in 2016. Here, gunmen stand alert at a water reservoir in Tikamgarh, India, on April 27. Hide Caption 1 of 14 Photos: India's drought crisis A gunman stands guard at a water reservoir in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. Hide Caption 2 of 14 Photos: India's drought crisis A man walks on the dry reservoir bed next to Gunda Dam in India's western Gujarat state on Friday, April 1. Hide Caption 3 of 14 Photos: India's drought crisis A farmer poses in his dried-up cotton field in Nalgonda, India, on Monday, April 25. Hide Caption 4 of 14 Photos: India's drought crisis A farmer tries to revive his unconscious cattle in the Gondiya village on Thursday, April 21. Hide Caption 5 of 14 Photos: India's drought crisis A woman tries to filter water with her sari as a child drinks in the Shankargarh area on April 21. Hide Caption 6 of 14 Photos: India's drought crisis Cattle graze in a partially dried-up pond in central India on April 27. Hide Caption 7 of 14 Photos: India's drought crisis A farmer stands in his field in the village of Bangaye on April 27. Hide Caption 8 of 14 Photos: India's drought crisis Villagers fill drinking water from a leaking roadside pipe in Nalgonda on April 25. Hide Caption 9 of 14 Photos: India's drought crisis A villager walks with his cattle in the dried-up Mansaita River near Allahabad on Wednesday, May 4. Hide Caption 10 of 14 Photos: India's drought crisis A villager filters her water through a sieve in Shahapur. Hide Caption 11 of 14 Photos: India's drought crisis Villagers in Shahapur throw containers into a well on May 13. Hide Caption 12 of 14 Photos: India's drought crisis A villager transports water on his cart on May 13. Hide Caption 13 of 14 Photos: India's drought crisis Children run with containers toward a well in Shahapur, India, on May 13 2016. Hide Caption 14 of 14

Police had initially denied responsibility for the deaths of the protestors, blaming it instead on " anti-social elements " and crowd violence.

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