Bengaluru: A day after violence and arson on the streets of Karnataka's Bengaluru, parts of the IT hub are under curfew. Protests over the state being asked to share Cauvery river waters with neighbor Tamil Nadu escalated yesterday after a Supreme Court ruling yesterday meant that Karnataka has to yield more water than it was asked to last week.
- Bengaluru's police commissioner NS Megharik told NDTV that there have been no violent incidents in the city since 10.30 pm on Monday night.
- A person died after the police opened fire on protesters in Rajgopalnagar area in the north of Bengaluru on Monday evening.
- In tweets this morning, the police warned people against rumours. "Please do not blindly believe in messages circulating on WhatsApp," said one tweet. "Bengaluru situation is totally calm, strict action will be taken against vandals/miscreants," said another.
- Last night, mobs were seen burning Tamil Nadu registered trucks and buses in Bengaluru and on a highway to Mysuru. Protesters also vandalised public property, including shops.
- The state government has posted some 15,000 policemen across the city. Riot police and paramilitary forces are also out on streets.
- The streets are mostly deserted because of the Eid holiday. Many schools, colleges and offices are shut. Yesterday, most of them closed early because of the violence. Buses are off the roads.
- Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called a meeting of his cabinet to discuss the situation. The court had on Monday modified an earlier order and said Karnataka has to release less water to Tamil Nadu, but for five more days. Karnataka, which will end up giving more water, urged a review but the court refused.
- There were protests also in Tamil Nadu. The state has posted armed police along the border.
- After attacks on a hotel owned by a Karnataka company and vehicles from the state, Tamil Nadu has given extra security to businesses owned by Karnataka. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, in her letter to Mr. Siddaramaiah, asked him to protect Tamil speaking people and their property.
- Trouble resurfaced in the decades-old dispute over the Cauvery river, which flows through Karnataka into Tamil Nadu, after the Supreme Court last week asked Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of water to its neighbour.