TN bandh: Jayalalithaa orders Cauvery water release from Mettur, DMK protesters detained

Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Pon Radhakrishnan meets Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and lauds her for "patiently" handling the ongoing Cauvery crisis.

With Mettur Dam witnessing steady inflows following Karnataka's release of water from the Cauvery River, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa orders opening its sluice gates for irrigating samba crops in the delta districts. "To enable farmers take up samba cultivation, I have directed release of water from Mettur Dam from September 20, 2016," she says.

A Puducherry report says an effigy of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was burnt outside the bus terminal by some agitators and that the flames were doused by police. A Puducherry Road Transport Corporation was stoned on Vazhudavoor road, following which it was brought to the shed. No passenger was injured, police said.

Large-scale demonstrations were on in Thanjavur and the Cauvery delta region by VCK, MDMK and Left parties.

The bandh has not affected functioning of state and central government offices in Tamil Nadu, which remain open.
 

While state transport corporation-run buses besides trains are operating as usual, some autorickshaws, taxis and commercial freight operators stayed off the roads.

The activist belonging to Naam Tamizhar Katchi had suffered over 90 percent burns and died this morning.
 

A youth, who had set himself on fire over the Cauvery issue yesterday, succumbed to injuries today.

Several establishments remain shut in Coimbatore, Tirupur, and Nilgiris districts, affecting normal life, in response to the bandh call. About 20,000 small and medium scale units in and around the city and over 30,000 garment factories in the textile hub of Tirupur extend support to the bandh and down shutters, according to reports.

VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan, who staged a rail roko with his supporters by blocking a North India-bound express train, was detained by police near Basin Bridge.

Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief Vaiko has been detained in Tiruchirappalli during protest over Cauvery issue.

In Chennai, the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) party is holding a hunger strike while its founder A Vijaykant citing health reasons did not participate in the protest as announced earlier. 

In Chennai, DMK treasurer Stalin led a rally from Rajarathinam stadium to Egmore Railway station. He then squatted in front of the railway terminal along with hundreds of party workers after his attempt to stage a rail roko was foiled by police, who detained him along with his protesters.

Farmers' leader PR Pandian takes part in protests with farmers of various organisations.

Tamil Nadu farmers' association stage 'Rail Roko' protest at Saidapet railway station.

DMK Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi, who staged a road roko on arterial Anna Salai along with DMK supporters, has been detained by police in a marriage hall. She seeks convening of an all-party meeting over the Cauvery issue.

In Trichy, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) leader Vaiko is prevented by the police from holding protest blocking the rail traffic. Speaking to the media, Vaiko says the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government is also adopting the same policy like the earlier Congress government when it comes to the Cauvery river water sharing issue.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam workers stage protest over Cauvery water dispute row. DMK leader Kanimozhi is also present.

Privately-owned fuel outlets remain shut but those owned by the oil marketing companies are functioning.
 

Cadres of some political parties trying to stop trains in some places have been taken into custody by the police.
 

The vegetable wholesale market in Koyambedu in Chennai is closed. However, essentials like milk delivery by the state government undertaking -- Aavin -- was not affected.
 

The shutdown strike called by various organisations representing farmers, traders, transporters and others in Tamil Nadu evokes mixed results.

Karnataka Water Resources Minister MB Patil asserts that the statewide shutdown called by various trade organisations and farmer associations in Tamil Nadu should be peaceful and added that it is the state`s government`s responsibility to ensure safety and security of people.

Heavy security deployment at Karnataka-Tamil Nadu checkpost border near Attibele.

In neighbouring union territory of Puducherry, more than 30 Tamil fringe outfits have announced a 12-hour bandh.

The Karnataka Police stops vehicular movement to Tamil Nadu near border areas.

Protection is being provided to Karnataka-related business establishments, schools, institutions and areas where Kannada-speaking people live, including Krishnagiri district.

Thousands of police personnel, including armed reserves, are being deployed in Chennai and other parts of the state. Over 15,000 police personnel are on duty.

On Thursday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wrote to his Tamil Nadu counterpart Jayalalithaa, urging her to ensure protection of Kannada speaking people.

The Tamil Nadu bandh is in the wake of the violence targeted against the Tamils in Karnataka and is also aimed at seeking Cauvery water for the state and a final solution to the problem.

Protesters have also called for rail and road 'rokos'.

The bandh call given by several farmers and traders bodies, including Tamil Nadu All Farmers' Federations and Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangangalin Peramaippu (a traders' collective) is supported by main Opposition party DMK, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, MDMK, PMK, TMC, CPI(M), and CPI.

Tamil Nadu is observing a dawn-to-dusk bandh supported by Opposition parties on Friday on the Cauvery with police deploying thousands of personnel across the state to ensure peace. A youth set himself on fire in Chennai on Thursday over the water sharing row.