Dakshina Kannada bandh passes off peacefully

Mangaluru, May 19: Barring minor incidents of violence, the Dakshina Kannada dawn-to-dusk bandh called by Netravathi Rakshana Samyutka Samiti against the Yettinahole river diversion project passed off peacefully said on Thursday, May 19.

Shops and business establishments in the entire district downed shutters in support of the bandh. While public vehicles remained off the roads, a few private vehicles were seen plying.

The bandh evoked good response in the district in places like Bantwal, Sullia, Moodbidri, Puttur, Belthangady, Kukke Subrahmanya and Dharmasthala. Police maintained a strict vigil in the district to avert any untoward incident.

The Samiti leaders spearheading the agitation said the project would lead to drying up of Nethravati river, which was the lifeline of DK district. People and industries in the district are entirely dependent on the Nethravati waters, they said.

Samiti president Vijay Kumar Shetty thanked the people of Dakshina Kannada for the co-operation they gave for the voluntary bandh. A KSRTC bus was damaged and a car burnt at Belthangady near here during the bandh by miscreants, police said.

PTI