Mandya:
Politics over the Cauvery water issue between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu turned violent this afternoon, with pro-Karnataka activists stoning Rapid Action Force personnel who are posted around the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) reservoir. Protesters are also trying to force their way into the dam area. Police have arrested G Madegowda, a farmer leader.
The protests were held under the leadership of JDS MP N Cheluvarayaswamy and MLAs C S Puttaraju and M Srinivas. The protesters demanded that they be allowed to lay siege to the reservoir and stop water release with immediate effect.
Congress MP H Vishwanath led a team and protested near Kabini reservoir along with other party workers.
A little earlier, protesters on bikes started burning tires near the KRS dam protesting against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.
The protests have been building up ever since the Supreme Court directed Karnataka to release 9000 cusecs of water a day in keeping with the orders of the Cauvery River Authority headed by the Prime Minister.
Schools and colleges in Mandya district are closed - and rail and road traffic between Bangalore and Mysore has been disrupted by the protests.
Thousands of farmers and activists of various organisations have poured into Mandya, the epic centre of the agitation against release of water to Tamil Nadu, to intensify the protest.
20 Karnataka State Reserve Police platoons, one Rapid Action Force company, a Border Security Force platoon on duty in the area.
Prohibitory orders have been promulgated in the one-km radius of the KRS reservoir.
Road traffic between Mysore-Bangalore has remained disrupted for the fifth consecutive day due to rasta roko by farmers. Attempts are also being made by protesters to block road traffic across Mandya.
In Bangalore, BJP legislators took out a march protesting the Centre's "step motherly treatment" to Karnataka on Cauvery water issue and presented a memorandum to Governor H R Bhardwaj seeking an amicable settlement to the century old dispute.
Senior BJP leader M Ramachandragowda urged the Prime Minister to direct Karnataka to stop water release.
Protests have also been held at Mysore and Chamarajanar.
(With PTI inputs)