Bengaluru City Police has taken preventive measures by imposing Section 144 across the city in anticipation of a “Bengaluru Bandh.” The police have reiterated that as per instructions from the Supreme Court and Karnataka High Court, no protests, processions, or bandhs will be allowed during this period. Section 144 enforces restrictions on gatherings of more than 5 people citywide.
In an official post on social media, Bengaluru City Police stated, “Today addressing press, @CPBlr has reiterated that no bundh/protests/processions are allowed as per Supreme Court/High Court instructions. Section 144 enforced citywide – gatherings of more than 5 people not permitted. Dial 112 for any help. Additional police will be deployed for maintaining law and order.”
As a result of the “Bengaluru Bandh” called by various organizations, all schools and colleges in Bengaluru will remain closed on Tuesday. This decision was announced by Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Dayananda K.A.
The bandh, scheduled to take place from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on September 26, is a response to the ongoing dispute over the release of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu from Karnataka. Various organizations, including farmers and pro-Kannada groups, are participating in the protest, and it is expected to disrupt normal life in the city.
During the bandh, it is anticipated that government offices, banks, ATMs, public and private transport, shops, commercial establishments, restaurants, and hotels will remain closed. However, essential services such as hospitals, nursing homes, medical shops, emergency services, petrol pumps, water supply, electricity, and sanitation services are expected to continue operating.
To maintain law and order during the bandh and prevent any untoward incidents, a heavy police deployment has been planned in the city. Section 144, which prohibits the assembly of more than five people, will be strictly enforced.
The bandh comes in the backdrop of the long-standing Cauvery river water-sharing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. In response to the situation, Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) MP HD Deve Gowda has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting a team of experts to study the water and standing crop situation in Karnataka. He emphasized the need for a review petition by the Jal Shakti department and the dispatch of a committee of experts to assess the situation in the state.
As the city prepares for the bandh and the water-sharing dispute persists, political leaders and authorities continue to address the complex issue, seeking a resolution that balances the interests of both states involved.
