JOIN USBarring stray incidents, Mandya remains peaceful
Except for torching of two vehicles — one in Halagur of Malavalli taluk and one near Arakere in Srirangapatna taluk — the protests in connection with the Cauvery river water issue was largely peaceful and life in the district was limping back to normalcy on Tuesday.
However, violating the prohibitory orders hundreds of people joined Cauvery Raita Hitharakshana Samiti president G Madegowda, in Mandya, who is spearheading a peaceful protest since a week near the Visvesvaraya statue on the Mysuru-Bengaluru highway in the city. As soon as Madegowda arrived at the venue, representatives of various Kannada organisations joined him. The police, deputed on the spot to provide security, turned mute spectators.
Despite the ban orders, Madegowda addressed the people, who had gathered in large numbers and appealed to them to continue with the peaceful protest.
He said, farmers do not trust Siddaramaiah, who has been changing statements every hour. The government should compensate the farmers for the crop loss, he demanded.
Similar protests were held at various parts of the district. A group of people lead by Vijay Kulkarni, representing Mahadayi, Kalasa Banduri Raita Horata Samiti arrived at the venue and extended their support.
Tamil newspapers and magazines were burnt at Sanjay Circle by protesters.
Bus services suspended
KSRTC had suspended bus services on the Mysuru-Bengaluru highway on Tuesday too. Buses did not ply on the Malavalli-Kanakpura route also. As a precautionary measure, KSRTC had suspended all services in the district. As the overall situation was peaceful, KSRTC services resumed by afternoon. Thin vehicular traffic was noticed on the roads.
Vehicles torched
Two stationary vehicles were torched at Malavalli and Srirangapatna taluks. A jeep of the Sericulture department that was under repair was set on fire by miscreants on the outskirts of Halagur, Malavalli taluk on Monday night.
Miscreants torched a gravel mixer vehicle, that was also under repair near Arakere in Srirangapatna taluk on Tuesday. However, people nearby were successful in extinguishing the fire.