The police took into custody about 70 activists when Netravathi Nadi Samrakshna Okkuta did not stop its rasta roko at Mahaveer Circle here even after more than two hours. They were released later.
The police first took convener of the okkuta Niranjan Rai, a doctor, into custody. Later, they took the co-convener Dinesh Holla and others into custody.
Some elected representatives did attend the rasta roko but did not sit through till it got over. Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP, Ganesh Karnik, MLC, J.R. Lobo, MLA, Mangaluru City South, Purushothama Chitrapura, Deputy Mayor, who squatted on the road, left the venue sometime after the rasta roko began. Seer of Odiyoor Mutt Gurudevananda also participated.
The protesters brought some domestic animals to the venue. Two goats, a cow, a calf, a cat, two dogs were on there carrying placards with slogans “we also want water” on their necks.
Kannada Katte activists wore jacket-like posters with slogans “speak Mangaluru speak” (against the project).
