Cauvery row: Normalcy returns to Bengaluru, partial curfew in force

Bengaluru: Two days after violence shook Bengaluru in protest against Karnataka releasing more Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu, the country's tech hub was back to normal on Wednesday.

"The city is back to normalcy, with shops, hotels, offices and private establishments opening in all areas except in northwest and southwest suburbs where curfew is in force till Thursday for maintaining law and order," a top police officer said.

With buses, taxis, autos and metro rail resuming service, thousands of people were seen commuting to offices and workplaces in and around the city.

Passengers going to or alighting at railway junctions and bus terminals in the city and the airport on the outskirts are able to get transport as trains, inter-state buses and flights are operating on schedule.

"Security across the city remains tight and ban order under section 144 of the CrPC on assembling of more than five persons at public places and populated areas continues till further order to ensure peace and prevent any untoward incident," said Police Commissioner N.S. Megharikh.

Most of the schools and colleges have declared holiday for Onam festival and remained shut in curfew-hit areas to avoid inconvenience.

"Educational institutions, offices and businesses will remain shut in curfew-bound areas as a precautionary measure," Megharikh told reporters here.

Situation at Mandya and Mysuru in the river basin remained under control amid peaceful protests by farmers, traders and youth against releasing water to the lower riparian state.

Meanwhile, state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is waiting for an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to seek his intervention in the inter-state water dispute.

"Siddaramaiah is waiting for an appointment with the Prime Minister from the PMO (prime minister's office) to go to New Delhi as there is no response yet," an official from the chief minister's office told IANS.

Siddaramaiah wrote a letter to Modi on September 9 for convening a meeting of the chief ministers of both the states and his intervention to resolve the vexed issue after the Supreme Court directed the state to release 15,000 cusecs of the river water to Tamil Nadu on September 5 for 10 days and extended it to September 20, reducing the quantum of release to 12,000 cusecs per day.