Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court modified its last week’s order, asking the Karnataka Government to release to Tamil Nadu 12,000 cusecs of Cauvery water- 3,000 cusecs less than what was directed last week-daily till September 20.
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Trucks with Tamil Nadu registration numbers were either stoned or set on fire in Bengaluru, Mandya, Mysuru, Chitradurga and Dharwad districts as Kannada activists gave vent to their anger over alleged attacks on state vehicles and property of Kannadigas in the neighbouring state. Within Bengaluru, schools and colleges have closed early in response to the chaos in the city.
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.
Bus services from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu have been suspended following attacks on travel agency offices and burning of buses in Bengaluru.
“My colleague, Rohini Swamy, and myself – we both were roughed up and beaten by those protesting against Supreme Court direction to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu”, India Today Cameraman Y Madhu told PTI here.
At Bengaluru’s KPN bus depot, more than 20 buses were set on fire by protesters.
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah also tweeted to urge people to maintain peace. Some 15,000 policemen have been posted across the IT city. Four in the 10-member group were arrested by the Chennai city police. Meanwhile, vandalism of Kannada establishments was also reported from Tamil Nadu, where a hotel in Mylapore was attacked with petrol bombs and five vehicles were vandalized in Rameshwaram.
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, who was present on the occasion, said if the situation worsens, vehicles plying to Tamil Nadu would be stopped till the situation gets back to normalcy.
The Karnataka government then appealed the ruling to the top court, which reduced the daily supply to Tamil Nadu.
The conflict over Cauvery waters has spilled on to the social media too with pro-Tamil groups making sarcastic remarks on Kannada actors and some pro-Kannada activists taking it to the streets and targeting the persons and attacking them.
Expressing disappointment over the apex court’s latest order, the minister said though the state had respect for the court, the government would again approach it to modify the latest order due to water shortage in the reservoirs.
Police protection was provided to the Karnataka Bank branches in Tamil Nadu.
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The order on Monday came after a special hearing on Karnataka’s application seeking that the September 5 order be kept in abeyance contending that as while 15,000 cusecs of water was released every day to Tamil Nadu, but it was utilising just 1,250 cusecs.
