Cauvery row: Bengaluru bounces back to normal, curfew lifted

Bengaluru: Two days after violence over Cauvery row literally shut down the city for 48 hours, Bengaluru bounced back to normal with schools, colleges, industries and businesses and other commercial establishments buzzing with activity on Wednesday.

BMTC buses and the Metro resumed services while KSRTC restarted operations to Mysuru and Mandya after nearly 10 days of suspension. But services to Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu continued to be suspended because of the volatile situation.

The officials used cranes and wreckers to remove burnt skeletal remains of heavy vehicles on roads, clearing the way for traffic. A large number of security men continued to be deployed in sensitive areas, where violence erupted on Monday.

Though curfew was lifted around 9 am on Wednesday, Section 144 will continue to be in force till September 25. Home Minister G. Parameshwar visited violence-hit areas, including Hegganahalli on Wednesday.

Curfew lifted, but Sec 144 still on: City police
“Curfew has been lifted in all 16 police station limits of Bengaluru from 9 am on Wednesday,” tweeted City Police Commissioner N.S. Megharikh. The curfew was clamped on the night of September 12 after violence erupted and over 80 vehicles were torched out following reports of attacks on Kannadigas and their property in Tamil Nadu.

Though the curfew was lifted, officials said prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC will continue till September 25. Section 144 is extended until Thursday, said police sources.  “Peace has been restored. There is a peaceful atmosphere where people can come out of their homes,” said Home Minister G. Parameshwar after visiting the violence-hit areas along with senior police officials.

On the proposed rail rokho agitation by Kannada activists, Mr Megharikh said, “There is no question of rail roko as Section 144 is still in force. All forms of protests and large gatherings of people will be illegal." He said the police have not given permission for Kannada activists to stage the rail rokho.

While a total of around 80 cases have been registered, 370 persons have been arrested by the city police till Wednesday. While over 190 persons were arrested from North division, 40 were arrested from West, 41 from South, 25 from Central, and 9 and 12 from South East and North East divisions.

The highest number of 35 cases were registered in the West division. In all, 78 vehicles were torched and 44 were damaged. A police patrol vehicle and a police cheetah bike too had been set on fire during the violence. Two people died, while 57 people were injured in Monday’s violence. Of them, 34 were police personnel and 23 civilians.