Bandh total in Mandya district

MANDYA/ MYSORE: The dawn-to-dusk Mandya bandh on Saturday called by the Mandya Zilla Raiya Hitarakshana Samiti to protest against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu was complete across the district. Heavy police security ensured it was free of any untoward incidents.
However, pro-Kannada activists pulled down the poster of a Tamil film in Mysore which triggered tension for some time.Cops intervened to defuse the tension. After that incident, Tamil film shows were cancelled, the police stated.
Commercial activities were shut down in Mandya following the bandh. Commercial establishments, restaurants, film theatres and petrol pumps were closed. KSRTC withdrew its bus services after operating for some time and private buses were off the road since morning.
Pro-Kannada organizations held protest marches. Agitators led by former MP G Made Gowda protested at the Visvesvarayya statue. Later, they held a rasta roko on the Mysore-Bangalore highway which bore the brunt of the bandh. Farmers completely shut down vehicular traffic for hours. It's the first time the road was shut down since the Cauvery row erupted for the second time in three months. In Induvalu and Gejjalagere, farmers stationed bullockcarts on the highway.Rail traffic was normal and farmers didn't stop any train.
Made Gowda told agitators to continue the protest till the state gets justice in the row. "India got independence after a long struggle. We should emulate it to get justice," he said.
Filed by Rajendrakumar K R and H M Aravind/ rewrite: es