Bengaluru: In the middle of the arson and vandalism seen in Karnataka's Bengaluru on Monday over the Cauvery water dispute with Tamil Nadu, one man refused to go with the mob.
Shivanna, who has been in the lorry business since 1968, went right to the spot where Tamil Nadu-registered buses were being set on fire on Mysuru Road. There were flames and smoke everywhere at a depot where more than 40 buses were burnt.
Some of the drivers were hiding in a storage room. They didn't know how to escape, until Shivanna helped them.
"I was in Ramanagaram. When I returned to Bengaluru and learnt about the protests I checked if my lorries were damaged. Two were. I learnt that the KPN buses had been set on fire so I took my car and went there. 42 buses were burnt. I looked for the drivers. 15 of them had been taken to a police station and the others, all frightened, were hiding in a godown," Mr Shivanna told NDTV.
He found the drivers, put them in the container compartment of his lorry and drove them to the border with Tamil Nadu. He said: "I took 31 drivers, put them into the bus home and then returned to Bangalore,"
That day, those who were not protesting stayed away from the roads. What made Shivanna go the extra distance to help the men?
"My service is mostly in Tamil Nadu. I felt in my mind that I have been eating their food so I wanted to help. I also employ 30 drivers from Tamil Nadu. The men I took to the border called me when they reached home and blessed me," he smiled.
"When we are born as human beings we need to do things like this. Whatever state they are from, once they come to Karnataka we must consider them ours and help them."
Two persons were killed in protests, several buses were burnt and shops and other buildings were vandalized after the Supreme Court announced an order that meant Karnataka would have to give more water from the river Cauvery to neighbor Tamil Nadu that it had been asked to a week ago.
Shivanna, who has been in the lorry business since 1968, went right to the spot where Tamil Nadu-registered buses were being set on fire on Mysuru Road. There were flames and smoke everywhere at a depot where more than 40 buses were burnt.
Some of the drivers were hiding in a storage room. They didn't know how to escape, until Shivanna helped them.
He found the drivers, put them in the container compartment of his lorry and drove them to the border with Tamil Nadu. He said: "I took 31 drivers, put them into the bus home and then returned to Bangalore,"
Advertisement
"My service is mostly in Tamil Nadu. I felt in my mind that I have been eating their food so I wanted to help. I also employ 30 drivers from Tamil Nadu. The men I took to the border called me when they reached home and blessed me," he smiled.
Advertisement
Two persons were killed in protests, several buses were burnt and shops and other buildings were vandalized after the Supreme Court announced an order that meant Karnataka would have to give more water from the river Cauvery to neighbor Tamil Nadu that it had been asked to a week ago.
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Karnataka Ready To Release 8,000 Cusecs Cauvery Water To Tamil Nadu: Chief Minister Proposed 10-Storey Building In "Lungs Of Bengaluru" Sparks Protests "Only Narendra Modi, Set To Be PM Again, Can Solve Cauvery Issue": Deve Gowda Tear Gas Fired After Kolkata Protest Against Doctor's Rape-Murder Turns Violent 150 mg Semen In Kolkata Doctor's Body, Suspect Gang-Rape: Parents To Court 2 French Rafale Jets Collide Mid-Air, Instructor, Pilot Missing In Assam, Epicentre Of Anti-CAA Protests, 1st Applicant Gets Citizenship Pics: PM Modi's 98-Minute Address Becomes Longest-Ever I-Day Speech "Freedom Fighters Would Not Have Dreamt...": AAP's Atishi On Arvind Kejriwal Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.