Karnataka burns over Cauvery water dispute

An Old dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for sharing of River Cauvery water turned vicious between both on Monday, number of vehicles and property were damaged in both states. Curfew was imposed in 16 police station limits as tensions escalated. The violence began after the Supreme Court turned down in the morning Karnataka’s plea to temporarily stop the release of Cauvery river water to neighbouring State Tamil Nadu. City Police tried to contain horde burning vehicles and damaging shops in Bengaluru and other cities, while protesters in Tamil Nadu retaliated by targeting Kannadiga  people and businesses in their state. A Person was killed and another wounded in police firing when a mob tried to attack a patrol at Hegganahalli in Bengaluru city. More than 200 people were arrested so far.

Rioters set alight at least 30 buses bearing Tamil Nadu registered plates at a depot in Bengaluru while trucks were attacked in Mysore, Mandya, Dharwad and Chitradurga districts. Hotels and properties belonging to Tamils in Karnataka are being attacked and damaged. This is an alarming situation and is causing considerable anxiety, Chief Minister Of Tamil Nadu Jayalalithaa said.

On the streets passion ran high as Kannadiga groups targeted Tamil speakers. Crowds of people shouting slogans against the court order and Tamil Nadu marched along major roads in Bangalore, Mandya and Mysore. They forced shopkeepers to down shutters. Hundreds of policemen fanned across the Tamil-majority areas in Bengaluru, but struggled to contain the protests.