Transport services across the city were hit since Saturday morning as the bandh was enforced strictly.
Both BMTC and KSRTC, employees of whom had just returned to work on Wednesday after a three-day strike, were forced to suspend services fearing damage to property as well as safety of employees and passengers.
Namma Metro, which saw maximum ridership during the strike this week, was also closed on Saturday as protesters barged into the Sampige Road station and forcibly stopped services around 6.15 a.m.
Services are expected to resume only around 5 p.m. but may be started earlier if the situation improves, officials said.
Protest rally by pro-Kannada organisations
A massive rally led by Kannada film actors and members of various pro-Kannada organisations took out a massive protest rally from Town Hall to Freedom Park.
Thousands of people had gathered at Town Hall and the entire junction was cut off. After burning the effigies of 28 MPs from the state, they took out the protest rally from Town Hall through Halasooru Gate, Kempegowda Road and Gandhinagar to reach Freedom Park.
At Gandhinagar, a few protestors noticed an ATM open and pelted stones at it, demanding that shutters be downed. The police, who were at the spot, had to resort to mild caning to disperse those pelting stones and ensure that the ATM is not damaged.
The entire Central Business District was shut down because of the bandh, with not even petty shops open. There was heavy police deployment in the area to ensure no untoward incidents occur.
