Bengaluru Bandh: Over 1,000 Detained as Protests Intensify, Prohibitory Orders Imposed

Bengaluru: The Cauvery River water-sharing dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka escalated on Tuesday, with the Bengaluru Police detaining over 1,000 individuals amid a bandh organized by the Karnataka Jala Samrakshana Samiti.

The bandh was called to protest Karnataka’s release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, following a Supreme Court directive. The Karnataka government had argued that it couldn’t release the water due to its own essential needs for drinking and irrigation.

The Bengaluru Police imposed Section 144 of the CrPC from Monday midnight to Tuesday midnight, along with a ban on processions. All schools and colleges in Bengaluru were declared closed for the day, with many private institutions having already been granted a holiday on Monday.

Metro services in the city remained unaffected by the bandh. City bus services were minimally affected, with entry of Tamil Nadu buses restricted at the state border. Ola-Uber services operated normally, while auto and taxi associations supported the bandh.

The Hotel Owners’ Association withdrew support for the bandh, ensuring that all hotels and restaurants remained open. Travellers were advised to plan for longer journeys to Bengaluru airport due to the bandh, with Indigo Airlines recommending early arrivals.