Vehicular movement between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka on the Sathyamangalam–Mysore road was disrupted on Thursday following demonstrations by farmers and activists of various Kannada organisations, against the Supreme Court direction to release the Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.
Vehicles were stranded on either side of the border as the police denied them entry citing security reasons.
More than 200 vehicles going to Karnataka were parked at the Bannari check post since morning. Vehicles from Karnataka were stopped at the Aasanur check post.
The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, which operates 21 buses to Chamraj Nagar, Mysore and Kollegal via Thimbam, Aasanur and Thalavadi, suspended most of the services following the tense situation in several parts of Karnataka. A few buses were operated till the border village of Pulinjur.
Similarly, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation also suspended its services to Sathyamangalam, Gobichettipalayam and Erode.
Lorry owners in the district, who operate daily services to transport vegetables from the border villages of Karnataka to markets here, have decided not to send their vehicles till the situation improves.
A group of stranded lorry drivers from Tamil Nadu staged a demonstration at the Bannari check post demanding that the police allow their vehicles to cross the border.
Additional police personnel were deployed along the border areas as a precautionary measure.
The police intensified patrolling on the Sathyamangalam – Mysore road. No untoward incident was reported, a senior police officer said.
Krishnagiri
Inter-State traffic was not affected at the border with Karnataka at Hosur on Thursday. But, transport officials said the situation would be reviewed in view of the strike called by the Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha on Friday.
