Cauvery dispute: Agitators try to lay siege to pump house supplying water to Bengaluru

Various organisations intensified their protests against the Supreme Court's directive to release 5,000 cusec Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, in Mandya district on Friday. 

Following widespread protests, police are on high alert in Mandya city and district.

Members of a Kannada organisation tried to enter the pump house supplying water to Bengaluru at Torekadanahalli in Mandya's Malavalli taluk. However, police stopped them from entering and took them into custody.

The agitators claimed that as the people of Bengaluru are refraining from joining hands with them to protect Cauvery water, the water supply to the capital city should be stopped. They should understand the intensity of the protest staged by the people of Mandya district and extend support, the protestors demanded.

Police also detained agitators near  T K Halli, who raised slogans against the Union and the State governments.

Bandh tomorrow

Cauvery Hitarakshana Samiti, staging an indefinite protest for the last 15 days, has called for a Mandya district bandh on September 23 (Saturday). A meeting of representatives of various organisations, traders and others will be held on Friday afternoon to discuss the details of the bandh.

Seer, Abhishek to join protest

Adichunchanagiri seer Nirmalanandanatha is expected to join the protest against releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu in Mandya, according to sources.

Abhishek Ambarish, son of MP A Sumalatha and late actor-politician Ambarish, is also likely to extend support to the protest and join the agitators in Mandya.