What could have been a smooth drive on a lean traffic day on Mysuru Road on Sunday, turned out to be an ordeal for many as hundreds of followers of M. Krishnappa, Vijayanagar MLA, blocked a stretch resulting in chaos for nearly six hours. They also disrupted the metro services from Mysuru Road station for a few minutes.
The protest also turned violent with stones being pelted at business establishments and vehicles.
From around 10 a.m. when the protesters first took to the streets near RPC Layout junction to around 4 p.m., the traffic through Nayandahalli junction was thrown out of gear. Outstation buses were also affected as the stretch between Nayandahalli junction and Satellite Bus Station was out of bounds as protesters blocked the road and burnt tyres. Meanwhile, former Minister M.H. Ambareesh’s followers staged a protest too. Drama was witnessed on the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway in Mandya town when 40-year-old Dyavappa attempted to immolate himself. Commuters were put into trouble near Gouribidanur town as well when followers of deputy Speaker Shivashankar Reddy pelted stones at a KSRTC bus. Traffic movement on the State highway connecting Doddaballapur and Hindupur was affected for over two hours before the protests turned violent, a police officer said.
