River row: violence erupts in Bengaluru

The row between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over sharing Cauvery water took a sudden and violent turn on Monday, with Karnataka police imposing prohibitory orders under Section 144 in Bengaluru city and in Cauvery basin districts.

Stray cases of stone throwing and settings of vehicles on fire were reported here as a few incidents of attack of Kannadigas in Tamil Nadu, and of Tamil residents in Karnataka, were reported throughout the day.

Violence erupted in Karnataka soon after the Supreme Court, in its order on Monday, modified its September 5 order, asking Karnataka to release a reduced amount of 12,000 cusecs of Cauvery 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.

Several shops and commercial establishments belonging to a certain section were attacked in the Cauvery basin districts of Mandya, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Hassan and Ramanagara, apart from Bengaluru. Several vehicles — especially goods-laden lorries with Tamil Nadu registration, were targeted and vandalised and set on fire.

Roads sealed Karnataka’s roads leading to Tamil Nadu, from Mandya, Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts, have been sealed in the wake of fresh disturbances. This has hampered traffic to Kerala as well. There was an undeclared bundh atmosphere in bustling Bengaluru as news spread of transport vehicles being targeted and commercial establishments being made to shut down.

As violence escalated in Bengaluru, the metro rail suspended its operations from afternoon as a precautionary measure. Police were deployed at busstands as a preventive measure.

A few IT companies which worked today made arrangements for their employees to leave office early. Several schools, especially in the southern parts of the city, asked their students to return home as early as possible.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said police forces had been deployed in areas where Tamilians live in large numbers, in Bengaluru and elsewhere in Karnataka. “We have taken adequate precautions,” said, and appealed to people of both States not to resort to violence.

He said 27 vehicles were damaged because of the violence, and about 200 people have been detained. About 10 companies of RAF/CRPF and 182 platoon of KSRP have been deployed in the Cauvery basin districts. Another 10 companies of RAF/CRPF have been requested immediately.

CM writes to Jayalalithaa Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wrote a letter to this Tamil Nadu counterpart Jayalalithaa, asking her to take care of Kannadigas living there.

He told reporters that he would be speaking to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Meanwhile, the chief secretary and director general of police of both the States spoke in the morning, taking stock of the situation, and agreed to hold regular consultations and monitor law and order.

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