Cauvery bandh near total in Tamil Nadu

Chennai/Tiruchy: The DMK-led opposition parties-sponsored bandh demanding the setting up of the Cauvery Management Board was by and large peaceful across the state except for a few stone pelting incidents in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruchy and Coimbatore. 

Both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka police forces stopped transport lorries and buses in border areas to ensure that there would be no untoward incident. Buses were stopped at Hosur, Chamraj Nagar and at Gudalur where police took extra steps urging the motorists to suspend transportation till Thursday.  

According to Southern Railway sources, trains were held up by agitators at Avadi, Chennai Park, Vaniyambadi, Jolarpettai and Ambur railway stations. About 10 suburban trains were also held up.  Four express trains were affected by protests. Express train services were disrupted by agitators at various places in Salem Division.  Trains were held up at Magudanchavadi, Morappur, Cauvery, Elamanur, Rasipuram, Tiruppur and Lalapet railway stations.

According to Southern Railway general manager R K Kulshreshta, trains held up in the rokos were released with least detention ranging from 5 to 30 minutes as stations were alerted to be prepared to face the situation. The GM also appealed to the public to refrain from detaining trains considering the inconvenience and possible safety hazards. Southern Railway geared up security arrangements at railway stations by deploying RPF and also GRP personnel.  Emergency Control was functional at Zonal and Divisional headquarters with officers monitoring the situation, he added.

A policeman and a few auto drivers were injured in Chennai and Kancheepuram during stone-pelting incidents, police said. In Madurai, Theni and Virudhunagar districts, the bandh evoked partial and mixed response.

Meanwhile Deputy chief minister O Panneersevalm, said 98 per cent of the buses were operated. DMK working president M K Stalin said a decision on the next course of protests would be taken up if the Centre did not listen to the voice of Tamil Nadu on Cauvery. 

CPI (M) state secretary K Balakrishnan, too dubbed the shutdown as a huge success. Such protests would continue till the CMB was constituted, he said. VCK chief Thol Thirmavalavan, Manithaneya Makkal Katchi leader M H Jawahirullah who were detaine along with Stalin also said the shutdown was a massive success.