Tension prevailed in the neighboring states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka post the Supreme Court’s Cauvery verdict. Recent unprecedented attacks in the capital cities of both the states highlight the fragile relationship shared by them.
Even as the court modified it’s earlier verdict and ruled that Karnataka should release less river water to Tamil Nadu for a period of five days, its capital Bengaluru witnessed widespread rallies and protests. Owing to the recent violence where shops and vehicles of Tamil Nadu were attacked, large gatherings have been banned in Bengaluru.
Karnataka has suspended bus services to Tamil Nadu and police jeeps have been positioned along the border to warn and advise vehicles against entering the state.
As a precautionary measure, educational institutions have been shut down and metro services remain halted.
Tamil Nadu too witnessed it’s own share of violence as in Chennai, a hotel owned by a Karnataka company was vandalized. The attackers broke into the New Woodlands hotel and allegedly also threw a petrol bomb and left pamphlets warning of retaliation if Tamils were targeted in Karnataka.
Till now, police has arrested four members of the group and almost 10 people were involved in the attack. Five tourist vehicles from Karnataka, including two buses, were vandalized in Rameswaram in southern Tamil Nadu.
The protests began after Karnataka was asked last week by the Supreme Court to release 15,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu daily from the river Cauvery, which flows through both states.
