Bengaluru/Mysuru/Mandya: Agitators opposing cauvery water release to Tamil Nadu today made a vain bid to launch rail roko agitation in many parts of Karnataka as Police in adequate strength thwarted their attempt. Hundreds of Karnataka Rakshna Vedike and other pro-kannada activists, former Legislator Vatal Nagaraj and others who tried to stop trains at Udupi, Chitradurga, Koppal, Bengaluru Contonment and Sangolli Rayana Railway Station in the city, at Mandya and Mysuru were taken into custody.
While prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code was enforced near the Railway Stations at Koppal, Chitradurga and Udupi, the order was extended upto September 25 in the State Capital. South Western Railway (SWR) sources told UNI that the agitation did not have any impact on the movement of trains as they were running on schedule. Elaborate bandobust have been made to prevent the agitators from coming closer to the vicinity of railway stations.
The sources said that even long distance trains bound for Kerala and Tamil Nadu states are running to the scheduled timings. The rail roko agitation called by the Pro-Kannada organiations did not affect the running of trains in the Mysuru Division of the SWR and RPF arrested some volunteers of Kannada organisations attempting to enter Mandya Railway Station. Train services towards Bengaluru, Arasikere and Chamarajanagara ran as usual with five trains departing towards Bengaluru, two trains each to Arasikere and Chamarajanagara operated.
A Kalaburgi report said Police arrested more than 15 youth who tried to stage 'Rail Roko' agitation in the city and tried to stop Bengaluru-Mumbai Udyan Express to protest against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu here today. The Pro-Kannada organisation belonging to Karnataka Rakshna Vedike staged a protest march in the city and staged a dharna in front of the Railway station.
The agitators later tried to rush in the railway platform. Police acted immediately and bundled them into waiting bus and took them away. The South Central Railway had made elaborate arrangements for smooth running of trains across the division in the wake of the rail roko call, sources said. (UNI)
