300 detained amid farmer protests near Bengaluru's Town Hall; Traffic snarls in several areas

Thousands of protesters including farmers, pro-Kannada activists and members of other organisations gathered in front of the Town Hall to protest against the state and central government's amendments to land reforms and the APMC Act. The police has detained about 300 people thus far for blocking roads while protesting.

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Leaders of various farmers organisations, including Kodihalli Chandrashekar and Kuruburu Chandrashekar, headed towards Town Hall. Former leader Nagendra was already at the Town Hall along with the protesting farmers. A few protesters who tried to stop buses near Town Hall by lying across the road were detained by the police for causing inconvenience to public and impeding public movement.

The farmers and activists of Kannada organisations gathered in hundreds near Sumanahalli and went on a rally till Town Hall in cars and bikes. The police did not allow them to block the road in Sumanahalli when the protesters tried to stop BMTC buses and public vehicles.

Kodihalli Chandrashekar also tried to take his rally from KR Puram to Town Hall, but the police stopped him as it would choke roads, causing traffic jams and asked him to go to Town Hall in his private vehicle. According to the police, areas surrounding Town Hall, Freedom Park, Mysore Bank circle, Summanahalli, Magadi Road, KR Puram have been affected as the protests caused bottlenecks for vehicle movement.

So far 300 persons were detained for blocking roads while protestung, a senior police officer said.