Bengaluru/Chennai/New Delhi: One person was killed and another injured in police firing in Karnataka as the Cauvery water sharing row with Tamil Nadu turned violent on Monday, escalating tensions between the two states.
Widespread violence erupted on Monday in Bangaluru and some other parts of Karnataka, while sporadic trouble was witnessed in Tamil Nadu following Supreme Court’s modified order on sharing Cauvery water by the two riparian states.
Police opened fire when a mob tried to attack a patrol vehicle at Hegganahalli in Rajagopal Nagar police limits as violence flared up in Bengaluru city with rampaging mobs setting fire to buses and trucks with Tamil Nadu registration plates.
“Two were brought with bullet injuries. One with bullet injury near the heart has died. The other is being operated for injury on right thigh,” Dr Giridhar, managing director of Lakshmi Multi-Speciality Hospital, where they were taken said. Soon after the apex court gave its amended order, directing Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu till September 20, violence and arson flared up in Bengaluru, with rampaging mobs setting afire at least 30 vehicles bearing Tamil Nadu number plates.
As violence broke out sending a wave of panic across Bengaluru, the city was brought under prohibitory orders till September 14. A prominent transport company depot in the city bore the brunt with at least 30 buses going up in flames.
Centre rushes 10 RAF violence-hit Karnataka
The Centre on Monday rushed ten companies comprising 1,000 personnel of the special anti-riot paramilitary force RAF to Karnataka to tackle the violent situation arising out of the raging Cauvery water sharing dispute.
Officials said the personnel have been sent to the violence-prone areas of Karnataka and if need arises, some of the contingents will also be deployed in Tamil Nadu.
A vehicle from Tamil Nadu goes up in flames after it was torched by pro-Kannada activists during a protest over Cauvery water allocation, in Bengaluru on Monday. (Photo: PTI)
These additional contingents will assist the state police even as three such RAF units and an all-women CRPF company have already been deployed in Karnataka in view of the violent protests. Meanwhile, managing director of Salem headquartered KPN Tours and Travels Limited Rajesh Natarajan claimed in Chennai 40 of his buses were set on fire.
Incidents of arson came even as police said they have made security arrangements with 15,000 policemen being deployed, bolstered by Karnataka State Reserve Police, City Armed Reserve Police, Rapid Action Force, Quick Reaction Teams, special forces, Central Industrial Security Force and Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force.
Union home minister Rajnath Singh also called up Chief Ministers of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and assured them all central assistance in handling the law and order situation.
After Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah spoke to Singh, an official statement issued in Bengaluru described the situation as “fully under control”. The Union home minister responded “positively” to the request for aditional central forces, it said.
Describing the violence in Karnataka as alarming, TN CM Jayalalithaa wrote to Siddaramaiah, seeking protection for Tamil speaking people and their property, hours after he had made a similar plea to her.
Jayalalithaa assured Siddaramaiah that safety of people from Karnataka will be ensured in Tamil Nadu. Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara said government did not expect the protest to go to this extent.
