Movement of people between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, which had briefly resumed on Sunday, was paralysed on Monday following the suspension of transport services on the border over Cauvery water row.
Soon after the Supreme Court pronounced its order on the Cauvery water sharing post-noon, Karnataka buses that were plying to Hosur until then were suddenly pulled off the national highway. In its wake, the closely guarded inter-State border became tense.
Brief respitePre-empting trouble, the Karnataka police took a cue from their Tamil Nadu counterparts and barred the entry of Karnataka-registered vehicles across the Attibele post into Hosur in Tamil Nadu.
Earlier, after a week of shutdown of the inter-State border for T.N. buses, Sunday witnessed the slow movement of T.N. buses across the border for the first time in five days. However, it was a brief respite that lasted less than 12 hours.
Safe entryOn Sunday night, on the eve of the Supreme Court’s special hearing on Karnataka’s plea, the State police barred the exit of buses once again. At the Hosur bus stand, chaos over the snapping of free flow of transport persisted.
The weekday began with commuters yet again relying heavily on the few Karnataka buses that entered Hosur to pick up those waiting to get to work to the Electronic City.
Karnataka buses were allowed safe entry to ease the movement of employed commuters across the border until noon, on Monday.
Security along the Jujuvadi post on the border was beefed up with a 150-strong police force.
No incident of stone-pelting or attacks on Kannada people was reported, in a town with a significant Kannada and Telugu-speaking population.
Goods movement by lorries that was unaffected for the last few days along the Mysuru National Highway along Sathyamangalam was stopped again on Monday after escalation of protests in Karnataka.
Window panes of a few lorries belonging to Sathyamangalam were broken by protesters on the Karnataka side, P.C. Andavar, president of Lorry Urimaiyalargal Nala Sangam, said.
