Mandya: The farmers' body spearheading the Cauvery agitation on October 12 announced suspension of its 38-day old stir, saying it would decide its next move after the decision of the Supreme Court, which would take up the Cauvery-related case on October 24.

In a statement, G Madegowda, who is heading the committee for protection of Mandya district farmers' interests, asked farmers not to organise any protests and to await the apex court decision.

The announcement came coincidentally after Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna addressed a massive rally in Mandya at the end of his six-day old padayatra from Bangalore.

The committee had been leading protests in Krishna's home district of Mandya ever since the Supreme Court asked Karnataka to release 1.25 TMC ft of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, which was superseded by the Cauvery River Authority (CRA) decision slashing it to 9,000 CUSECS.

The protests had taken a serious turn with road traffic between Bangalore and Mysore blocked for several days.

PTI