Mandya: A 24-hour curfew was imposed in Mandya from October 30 afternoon as
agitating farmers protesting release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu went on the
rampage and pelted stones heavily at police who resorted to laticharge and burst
teargas shells to contain violence.
Hours after the indefinite districtwide bandh and relay hunger strike by farmers'
leaders began, the protesters turned violent and attacked the police with stones and
set fire to two jeeps of the Revenue Department.
An unspecified number of people were injured in the violence, police and district
administration officials said. A 24-hour curfew has been imposed, Mandya district
deputy commissioner K P Kaniram said.
Defying prohibitory orders in response to the call given by the district farmers
committee, the protesters came in thousands to the streets, giving a tough time to
police, and blocked the roads before their agitation took a violent turn.
Rapid Action Force (RAF) and the police cane charged the violent protesters, who
attacked them with stones in groups.
Dozens of rounds of teargas were burst by police to bring the situation under
control. Heavy rain, however, forced the agitators to run helter skelter. The
situation remained tense.
Train and bus services remained suspended for the third day, since the state Council
of Ministers decided to release water to Tamil Nadu. Southern Railway announced
cancellation of trains for October 31 also.
Following imposition of curfew, police also took into custody farmers'
leaders, including Congress MLA M S Atmananda, who were staging a
relay fast at the Silver Jubilee park.
The protesters also stoned the District Congress Committee office
here and removed the nameboard, police said.
PTI
