Cauvery stir affects train, road traffic on B'lore-Mysore route

Bangalore, Feb 10 (UNI) Train services in the Mysore-Bangalore section of the South Western Railways were disrupted along with road traffic following continued agitation against the final verdict of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) in Karnataka, today.

Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Shankar Bidri told UNI here that no untoward incident was reported in any of the Cauvery basin districts.

He said vehicular movement between Bangalore and Mysore was disrupted for the fifth successive day, with people putting up road blockades in several places and cooking food on the road. State Minister G T Deve Gowda, proceeding to Mysore in a car, was stopped at Halebidanur in Mandya district and served food on the road.

The Railway authorities have cancelled a few train services, including the Bangalore-Mysore passenger, while many trains including the Chennai-Mysore Cauvery Express and Tuticorn-Mysore Express were detained in different places.

Mr Bidri said elaborate security arrangements have been made following the Statewide bandh call given by several pro-Kannada organisations for February 12. The State police have requisitioned the services of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and other paramilitary forces to supplement the State police force. Police would take stern action against those indulging in violence and arson, he warned.

Members of the Cauvery Hitharakshana Samithi, led by its President G Made Gowda, launched an indefinite hunger strike in Mandya. The Kabini Raitha Hitharakshana Samithi activists, led by its President Kurabur Shanthamurthy, started a padayatra from H D Kote to Raj Bhavan here.

In Bangalore, over 20 people, including Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha Legislator Vatal Nagaraj, were arrested when they tried to picket the General Post Office. The activists held mock auction of the Rajya Sabha members from the State for their alleged indifferent attitude towards the verdict.

The Kannada tinsel town, led by renowned Kannada actor and Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting M H Ambareesh, would take out a procession to the Raj Bhavan on February 13.

Meanwhile, support for the bandh call had been pouring in from various quarters, including merchant associations and Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The youth wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the State appealed to all those living in the State, including employees of IT, BPO and call centres, to take part in the bandh.

According to a Mysore report, the Cauvery Hitharakshana Samithi extended full cooperation to the State Government to go in for an appeal in the Supreme Court against the verdict. The Samithi also appealed to the people to maintain peace and calm during the stir.

UNI