Cauvery water row: Karnataka, TN on the boil; 30 buses torched in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: Tension escalated in Karnataka over the release of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu, as protests turned violent on Monday with agitators attacking shops and vehicles.
More than 30 buses were set on fire by protesters in Bengaluru's KPN bus depot on Monday evening.
Violence intensified in Bengaluru and Mysuru on Monday as agitators stopped vehicles with Tamil Nadu registration, asking occupants to get down and set the vehicles on fire. Vehicles with Tamil Nadu registration have been barred from entering Karnataka.
As precautionary measure, schools in Bengaluru were closed and children were sent home. Metro services were also suspended in the city. Section 144 has been imposed in the city from 5 pm onwards on Monday.
Section 144 of CrPC has also been imposed in Pandavapura area, Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara said.
The state Home Minister added that around 200 people had been detained for violent protests. Apart from this, 20,000 homeguards and 185 KSRP platoons have also been deployed, he said.
CM Siddaramaiah has called for an emergency meeting on the situation on Tuesday, G Parameshwara said.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa following the violence.
Read: Cauvery row: 30 Tamil Nadu buses set on fire in Bengaluru
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court modified its September 5 order, asking Karnataka to release a reduced amount of 12,000 cusecs of Cauvery River water per day to Tamil Nadu till September 20 from the earlier 15,000 cusecs a day to ameliorate the plight of farmers of the neighbouring state.
Read: Cauvery row: Woman TV journalist beaten up in Bengaluru
Around 500 police personnel have been deployed near KRS Dam following violence in both the states.
In Tamil Nadu, suspected pro-Tamil protesters attacked and damaged a hotel run by a native of Karnataka.
The incident occurred during the wee hours on Monday when the group of protesters gathered around the hotel situated in Mylapore and damaged its window panes using iron rods and wooden logs, police said adding that no one was injured.
So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack and a probe is on, police said.
The incident comes a day after a video purportedly showing a 22-year-old Tamil youth being beaten by a group of men in Bengaluru for allegedly posting "derogatory" remarks on social media against Kannada film actors went viral. It was also alleged that the youth had made comments, which were later deleted, against the ongoing Cauvery water agitation in Karnataka on the social media.
Meanwhile, seven tourist vehicles bearing Karnataka registration that were parked at a temple in Rameswaram were damaged when agitated members of various outfits including Naam Tamizhar Iyakkam allegedly indulged in vandalism early today, police said.
The group entered the parking lot of a temple near Agni Theertham in the town and damaged the vehicles bearing Karnataka registration with clubs and stones, they said.
On the other hand, pro-Kannada protesters vandalised lorries bearing Tamil Nadu registration numbers near Hubli bypass in Karnataka.
Cases have been registered against seven persons including one Manmathan, belonging to Tamizhar Desiya Front and are searching the suspects, they added.
But Janata Dal (Secular) chief HD Dewe Gowda seemed to back the protests. "Farmers of Karnataka will totally suffer this year. Affected people will express their feelings with agitations. The government is strong enough to control any protest," he said.
