A Statewide bandh, called by pro-Kannada organisation Kannada Okkoota, is on in Karnataka on Monday seeking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention to implement the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project in north Karnataka and demanding a permanent irrigation facility for the parched districts of the Old Mysore region.
Here are the latest updates
2.30 p.m.: Bandh affected wedding ceremonies in Kolar. Wedding halls such as Shanti Kalyana Mantapa and Narayani Convention Hall here where marriages were scheduled on Monday were nearly empty as many relatives and friends could not make it for the ceremony due to the bandh. One organiser tried to prevent food from going waste by showing largesse to those protesting in the heat. The hosts at Narayani Convention Hall invited the bandh supporters for lunch and the latter had their food there in the afternoon.
1.05 p.m.: Kannada Chalavali Vatal Paksha (KCVP) President Vatal Nagaraj and associates taken into preventive custody at Corporation Circle, while they were marching towards Vidhana Soudha from Town Hall. Vatal Nagaraj taken to Adugodi Armed Reserve Batallion grounds, police sources said.
12.58 p.m.: Farmers burn tyres on Nippani-Mudhol highway in Belagavi district.
12.50 p.m.: Farmers' groups block Nippani-Mudhol State Highway and Kankawadi - Raibag roads for over one hour each as part of Karnataka bandh in Belagavi district. Kannada Rakshana Vedike and KRRS members holding a protest in Kittur Channamma circle. Police has been deployed in sensitive areas.
12:18 p.m.: Members of Kannada Rakshana Vedike and Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha staging a protest at Kittur Channamma Circle in Belagavi.
12:15 p.m.: Buses plying as usual in Belagavi. Government and private offices, schools and colleges functioning normally.
12:10 p.m.: Minimal impact of bandh in Belagavi city. Police personnel have been deployed in sensitive areas. Farmers' groups block Nippani- Mudhol state highway and Kankawadi - Raibag roads for over one hour.
12:05 p.m.: Police detain Karnataka Rakshana Vedike's president Praveen Shetty and his supporters while they were proceeding towards Vidhana Soudha.
12:05 p.m.: Good response to bandh in Kolar, Chickballapur districts. Eight protesters held for stone pelting and road blockade.
11.20 a.m.: No impact of bandh across Mandya and Ramanagaram. Offices, schools and colleges run smoothly across the dictricts.
10.45 a.m.: Lukewarm response for bandh in Shivamogga district. Education institutions remain open while public transportation services remain unaffected.
10.16 a.m.: Bandh evokes little impact in Kalaburagi.
Shops, schools and colleges, trading units at APMC, fuel stations and other business establishments remain open. Buses operated by NWKRTC and autos run normally, reports Kumar Buradikatti.
10.10 a.m.:
Protesters block Kittur Chennamma Circle in Hubballi. Photo: Kiran Bakale
Protesters have blocked Kittur Chennamma Circle in Hubballi.
9.50 a.m.: Tyres burnt in Anekal. Protesters targeting exit entry points to make bandh successful.
9.48 a.m.: KSRTC services in Kolar and Chikkballapur affected due to stone pelting. Services in Bengaluru normal.
9.30a.m.: 75 platoons of KSRP and quick response team along with 16,000 police personnel are camping in strategic locations to monitor law and order. 250 hoysala vehicles patrolling in sensitive areas. Since the bandh has clashed with the visit of Vice-President Hamid Ansari and Rahul Gandhi, police personnel have stepped up patrolling in their respective jurisdiction.
Members of pro-Kannada organisations forcibly shut down shops in Ramanagara. City police commissioner Praveen Sood on Sunday issued notices to the organisations not to resort to bandh and warned of stringent action. However protesters led by Vatal Nagraj planned to hold rally from Town Hall to Vidhana Soudha to press their various demands, The Hindu 's Vivek Narayanan reports .
9.10 a..m.: No impact of bandh in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada. Public transport is functioning normally in all three districts, reports The Hindu reporter Raghava M .
Kannada Rakshana Vedike activists will be taking out rally around 10 a.m. and submit memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner in Udupi and Karwar.
8.00 a.m. : Schools and colleges remain open various districts including Hassan, Mysuru.
Earlier, Deputy Commissioner V. Shankar said that schools in Bengaluru would remain open on Monday. However, as a precautionary measure several universities have postponed their exams.
Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka has also said that private schools would also function as usual but individual school managements could take a call based on the situation on Monday.
Transport
The BMTC and KSRTC officials say services are normal. the metro rail service is also normal. However, “If there is an issue we will stop services,” said an official spokesperson.
