The dawn-to-dusk Tamil Nadu bandh on Friday on the Cauvery issue called by associations of farmers and traders passed off peacefully even as opposition leaders, including the DMK’s M.K. Stalin and Kanimozhi, courted arrest while leading protest demonstrations in various parts of the State.
The day was marked by a slew of agitations, attempts to block trains and roads, by the bandh supporters, including opposition parties, across the State. Attempts to stop the Vaigai Express at Dindigul station was foiled by the police.
Hundreds of protesters were held as majority of shops and business establishments across Tamil Nadu downed their shutters in support of the bandh, police said.
They were protesting incidents of violence targeting Tamils in Karnataka and demanding a long-term solution to the vexed inter-State river water issue.
The common man was put to inconvenience as restaurants, shops and petrol pumps remained closed till 6 p.m. in the State.
However, the bandh did not affect functioning of State and central government offices, their undertakings, banks and PSUs though many of them witnessed thin attendance.
Also, government, state-aided and most of the private schools and colleges functioned albeit with lesser turnout.
State transport corporation run buses, trains plied as usual, though most autorickshaws, taxis, private trucks and commercial freight operators chose to go off the roads.
Cinema shows and film shootings remained suspended during the bandh period.
Updates:
6.10 pm: Tamil Nadu bandh ends peacefully; all those who courted arrrest have been released, reports our correspondent R. Sivaraman.
4.18 pm: A stray incident of stone pelting on a SETC bus in Hosur. The bus was stranded from repair when two helmet clad men had reportedly hurled stones breaking the windshield. A total of 419 protesters courted arrest in Krishnagiri. In Dharmapuri, a total of 582 protesters courted arrests. - reports P.V. Srividya
4.16 pm: Over 5,000 protesters from farmer bodies and political parties arrested in central zone encompassing eight districts. Rail roko agitations were held at 27 places road roko in 44 places and siege agitations at 9 places in Tiruchi region. - reports R. Rajaram
1.37 pm: 38 out of 189 matriculation schools and 12 out of 28 CBSE schools remain closed in Madurai district. All the government and government-aided schools in the district functioning. - reports Pon Vasanth Arunachalam
1.15 pm:(Clockwise) Big Bazaar in Ramanathapuram, Dindigul main road, Main Bazaar in Vellore, petrol bunk in Puducherry. Photos: L. Balachandar, G. Karthik, C. Venkatachalapathy, T. Singaravelou
12.30 pm: 21-year-old B. Vignesh from Naam Tamilar Katchi party cadre died at 11.05 am today in Chennai, after being hospitalised for his self-immolation bid. He > set himself ablaze yesterday at a rally organised by film director Seeman's NTK party, for rights over Cauvery water. - report R. Sivaraman and Zubeda Hamid > Read more
12.17 pm: VCK cadres squat on the track blocking Chozhan Express at Thirupadiripuliyur railway station in Cuddalore district. Police intervene and remove the agitators. - reports S. Prasad
12.15 pm: 26 VCK cadres held after they managed to enter Madurai railway junction. However, they were picked up before they could block any train.
Most of the shops and commercial establishments remain closed in Madurai, except for handful number of medical shops, tea stalls and eateries.
Though buses were plying as usual, not many passengers were travelling. Most of the autorickshaws were off the road. - Sundar Subbiah reports
12.02 pm: Over 20 cadres of Dalit Rights Protection Movement arrested when they lay siege to Uduppi Hotel in Nagercoil. - reports R. Arivanantham
11.56 am: Tirunelveli City district MDMK secretary K.M.A. Nizam and 50 others arrested inside Tirunelveli railway Junction after the protesters managed to enter the third platform through the northern entry, squatted on the track.
11.50 am: At Krishnagiri, government buses and police outnumber the public at Krishnagiri bus stand. All shops except for a couple of tea stalls remain shut. - reports P.V. Srividya
11.43 am: Thanjavur bus stand wears a deserted look. Though TNSTC was in operation with skeleton staff, passenger strength was poor. At 11.30 am, only 7 passengers were on board the Pattukottai bound bus. There were no passenger for the Tiruchi bus. - reports M. Balaganessin
11.36 am: Lawyers boycott court, stage a demonstration and burn an effigy of Karnataka CM Siddharamaiah in Bodinayakkanur in Theni district as part of state wide bandh. - reports K. Raju
11.30 am:Miscreants ransacked the glass panes of a bakery shop in Katpadi near Vellore. Photo: C.Venkatachalapathy
11.23 am: Over 100 DMK cadres led by Pennagaram MLA Inbasekaran and Dharmapuri MLA Subramani entered into Dharmapuri railway station to stage rail blockade. But the train had already left the station. - reports P.V. Srividya
11.22 am: A large number of DMK cadre along with members of various farmers' associations taken into custody by police when they attempted to enter Salem Railway Junction to picket trains on Friday morning.
Later, VCK cadre, Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi and members of DYFI and SFI came in batches and attempted to enter the junction when police rounded them up. - reports Syed Muthahar
11.16 am: 19 VCK cadres arrested, as they resorted to block Island Express at Nagercoil Junction. Over 300 DMK cadres taken into custody when they tried enter Nagercoil Junction. - reports R. Arivanantham
11.11 am: More than 85 per cent shops remain closed in Tirunelveli district, say police. - reports P. Sudhakar
11.11 am: Around 45 VCK and 33 SDPI members arrested in Tiruchi after they attempted to stage rail roko. - reports R. Rajaram
11.08 am: Over 300 DMK cadres led by Former DMK Minister and sitting MLA K. Ponmudi held when they attempted to stage rail roko at the Villupuram railway station. - reports S. Prasad
11.08 am: While DMK cadres stage rail roko at Kancheepuram & Wallajahbad, VCK cadres block train movement at Madurantakam. - reportsV. Venkatasubramanian
11.06 am: Police detain 16 VCK cadres when they staged rail roko at Pettai Railway Station near Tirunelveli. - reports P. Sudhakar
11.05 am: Barring the roadside tea shops, pharmacies, restaurants and a few fuel stations, all other shops are closed in Tirunelveli District. Phone calls from traders' associations office-bearers forced the owners to close their establishments. However, more than 40 per cent of the autos, share autos ply as usual, Union leaders say. - reports P. Sudhakar
10.59 am: All party cadre court arrest in Thanjavur. - reports M. Balaganessin
Senior DMK leader Durai Murugan along party cadres being arrested at Katpadi railway station, Vellore on Friday. Photo: C.Venkatachalapathy
10.57 am: Buses and auto rickshaws ply as usual. Most of the shops are open in Ramnad. SDPI to picket head post-office in the evening and VCK to block trains in the afternoon. - reportsD.J. Walter Scott
10.50 am: Normalcy prevails in Ramanathapuram district. - reports D.J. Walter Scott
10.49 am: Former DMK minister P.R. Periyakaruppan and more than 500 DMK men arrested in Sivaganga, when they tried to stage a rail roko agitation. Buses ply but almost all shops remain shut in the district. - reportsD.J. Walter Scott
10.45 am: Former Minister and Nagercoil DMK MLA N. Suresh Rajan, Kanniyakumari DMK MLA S. Austin stage protest before Nagercoil Junction. - reports R. Arivanantham
10.42 am: CPI leader C. Mahendran courts arrest at Thanjavur. - reports M. Balaganessin
10.25 am: Farmers' leader P.R.Pandian with DMK cadres stages rail roko in Saidapet Railway Station.
10.20 am: Rail roko by opposition parties affects EMU train services in Chennai.
10.15 am: DMK leader and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi courts arrest on Anna Salai in Chennai.
10.10 am: MDMK leader Vaiko arrested in Tiruchi after he along with party cadres attempted to stage rail roko at Tiruchi Junction.
10.01 am: Stalin and four DMK MLAs court arrest before Egmore Railway Station.
9.50 am: VCK Leader Thol.Thirumavalavan and the party cadres court arrest near Basin Bridge in Chennai.
9.42 am: Shops, commercial establishments and all petrol bunks remain closed in Cuddalore district. Government and private schools remained open. Government buses are plying as usual while private buses and autos stayed off the roads.
An employee relaxes at a petrol bunk in Coimbatore. Photo: Periasamy
9.40 am: Leader of Opposition and DMK leader M.K.Stalin leads a party rally towards Egmore Railway Station. - R. Sivaraman reports
9.35 am: Karnataka has stationed additional force at Athibelli border. DMK cadres led by Thally MLA Y. Prakash court arrest attempting train blockade in Hosur - P.V. Srividya reports.
9.32 am: Our Reporter V.V. Subramaniam reports: In Kancheepuram, State Transport Corporation buses and private buses are running.
MDMK leader Vaiko leading a demonstration in Tiruchi. Photo: M. Moorthy
9.50 am: Following intervention from traders' associations, shops are being closed now in Tirunelveli district. After transacting business for about 3 hours, the shops are getting closed now.
9.40 am: Police officials assure security to IT companies, private colleges.
9.30 am: In Coimbatore, government buses are plying as usual. DMK MLA Karthik stages rail roko in Singanallur.
9.30 am: DMK cadres try to block train at Korukkupet in Chennai
9.10 am: Buses seems to be running as usual in Chennai's arterial roads.
Activists picketing at Puducherry bus stand. Photo: S.S. Kumar
9.00 am : Over 500 DMK men led by party MLA and former Chennai mayor M..Subramanian court arrest near Saidapet Railway station.
8.30 am: Heavy security beefed up in railway stations in Chennai.
7.30 am: Several local grocery shops, which usually open by daybreak, remained shut in view of the protests.
7.00 am: State transport corporation-run buses besides trains are being operated as usual though autos, taxis and commercial freight operators remained off the roads.
6.00 am: Thousands of police personnel, including armed reserve forces, have been deployed in Tamil Nadu and in Chennai over 15,000 policemen are on duty.
(With inputs from R. Sivaraman from Chennai, P.V. Srividya from Hosur, Sudhakar from Tirunelveli, V.V. Subramaniam from Kancheepuram, Kartik Madhavam from Coimbatore, R. Rajaram from Tiruchi, Prasad from Puducherry, S.P. Saravanan from Salem)
