Chennai: Describing the violence in Karnataka as “alarming”, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today wrote to her counterpart in the neighbouring state, Siddaramaiah, seeking protection to Tamil speaking people and their property, hours after he had made a similar plea to her.

Expressing concern, she said “hotels and properties belonging to Tamils in Karnataka are being attacked and damaged. This is an alarming situation and is causing considerable anxiety.”

“I am concerned that the situation in Karnataka is serious with several instances of mob violence targeting Tamil speaking persons and their properties,” she said in the letter.

Amid reports of escalating violence in Karnataka over the Cauvery issue in which Tamil properties including buses were targeted, she sought action to ensure safety for them.

“I request you to take immediate and effective action to provide all necessary protection and security to ensure that no harm is caused to the person and property of Tamil speaking people in Karnataka,” she said in her letter to Siddaramaiah.

She said, “the violence has escalated and a large number of vehicles, including more than 40 buses, 45 lorries and many other vehicles bearing Tamil Nadu number plates have been burnt and damaged.”

Stating that groups of protesters from Karnataka were regularly assembling at the Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border near Hosur, she said they were threatening vehicles and commuters from Tamil Nadu.

Jayalalithaa said she was writing to bring to Siddaramaiah’s “urgent attention” the need to ensure the safety and security of many lakhs of Tamil speaking people residing in Karnataka and of their properties in the light of the escalating incidents of violence.

Referring to his letter, regarding “certain incidents,” in Tamil Nadu, she said “despite very provocative incidents that are taking place in Karnataka, absolute restraint has been observed in Tamil Nadu by all sections. We have ensured that no major incidents of any kind targeting Kannada speaking people or their properties have occurred.”

Referring to the two incidents in Chennai and Ramanathapuram that was flagged by Karnataka, she said these were minor adding action was taken very promptly, cases registered and miscreants arrested.

“In any event, all precautionary measures have been taken and law and order continues to be well maintained in Tamil Nadu,” she said.

“The protests by some sections in Tamil Nadu, including by farmers, have been peaceful and lawful.”

She said the Tamil Nadu DGP was instructed to ensure that law and order is maintained and adequate protection provided to all Kannada speaking people and their properties in Tamil Nadu.

The DGP was instructed as soon as the directions of the Supreme Court on the Cauvery issue were received on Septemeber 6 and following telecast of violent protests in Karnataka by the media, Jayalalithaa said.

Cauvery row: violence erupts, Bengaluru on edge

Bengaluru: As the Cauvery water sharing row raged, violence flared up in the city with rampaging mobs setting fire to at least 30 buses and trucks with Tamil Nadu registration number plate and bringing the country’s IT capital on the edge.

Shortly after the modified Supreme Court order on release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu and amid reports of alleged attacks on Kannadigas in the neighbouring state, violence broke out sending a wave of panic across the city, which was brought under prohibitory orders till normalcy is restored.

Buses and trucks with Tamil Nadu registration number plate and several shops and establishments with roots there bore the brunt of vandalism by protesters with a travel company depot being the worst affected with several parked buses buses set afire.

Incidents of arson came even as police said they have made elaborate security arrangements with 15,000 policemen being deployed, bolstered by Karnataka State Reserve Police, City Armed Reserve Police, Rapid Action Force, Quick Reaction Teams, special forces, Central Industrial Security Force and Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said the government did not expect the protest to go to this extent.

“We expected that if the decision goes against us, there will be some protest, but definitely not to this extent. This is all hit and run kind of thing where 20-30 people join together to protest where police are not there, then they suddenly run away”.

The situation was being brought under control, he said adding that 200 people been detained.

He said forces have been deployed at sensitive points, particularly where Tamil population and establishments are located. “We have taken utmost precaution. We have received 10 companies of central forces. We have requested for more.”

Trucks with Tamil Nadu registration number plate were either stoned or set on fire also in Mandya, Mysuru,Chitradurga and Dharwad districts as Kannada activists gave vent to their anger over alleged attacks on state vehicles and property of Kannadigas in the neighbouring state and also against the apex court modified order.

The Supreme Court, modifying its September 5 order, today asked Karnataka to release a reduced amount of 12,000 cusecs of Cauvery River water to Tamil Nadu till September 20.

In its September five order, the apex court had directed release of 15,000 cusecs for 10 days to ameliorate the plight of farmers of the neighbouring state, which had triggered strong protests from farmers and pro-Kannada outfits with Karnataka observing a bandh against it on September nine.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called an emergency cabinet meeting tomorrow to discuss the situation arising out of the Cauvery row.

As reports of arson and vandalism spread, office-goers rushed back home, with many companies calling off work as a precautionary step and schools and colleges declaring holiday, with sudden rush causing traffic gridlocks in several parts.

Metro, on which lakhs of commuters depend, also temporarily suspended its services.

Activists of disparate pro-Kannada outfits took control of streets in several areas and resorted to stone throwing and burning, targetting buses and trucks.

Two Chennai-based hotels and mobile shops were attacked and vandalised in Bengaluru.

Voicing concern over violence against Kannada speaking people and their properties in Tamil Nadu over the past two days, Siddaramaiah wrote to his counterpart Jayalalithaa to ensure adequate safety and protection for Kannada speaking people in Tamil Nadu.

“You would agree that the incidents of violence against Kannada speaking people that are being reported from Tamil Nadu would incite passions threatening peace in our state, which all of us should prevent,” Siddaramiah said.

Siddaramaiah said his government was firmly committed to maintaining law and order in the state and had taken “utmost” precaution to ensure the safety and security of all citizens, particularly Tamil speaking people, in the state.

Speaking to reporters earlier, Siddaramaiah said he would also speak to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, if necessary, on the incidents targeting Kannadigas.

Asking people not to pay heed to rumours and to cooperate in maintaining law and order, Karnataka state DGP Omprakash said as a precautionary measure section 144 is in place in Bengaluru city, Mandya, Mysuru, Srirangapatna and near four dams in the Cauvery basin.

Prohibitory orders will remain until normalcy is restored, he said adding, the situation is “tense, but under control.” .

In Mandya district, the main epicentre of the Cauvery agitation, two trucks were set ablaze and the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway was blocked after the Supreme court order came out.

Police made a lathicharge to disperse a violent mob, which tried to loot some shops. Several vehicles with Tamil Nadu registration number plate were damaged on Bengaluru-Mysuru highway, police said.

In parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, protests by fringe Tamil outfits erupted today with some commercial and government establishments of Karnataka coming under attack.

The protests came a day after a video purportedly showing a 22-year-old Tamil youth being beaten up by a group of men in Bengaluru for alleged “derogatory” remarks on social media against Kannada film actors went viral.

Outfits such as Naam Tamizhar Katchi and Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi hit the streets protesting the ongoing agitations in Karnataka opposing release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, police said.

A popular restaurant in Chennai and tourist vehicles bearing Karnataka registration plate in Rameswaram were vandalised while protesters created a ruckus at a Karnataka Bank branch in neighbouring Union Territory of Puducherry, police said.

Four persons have been detained in connection with the restaurant attack while around 25 taken into custody in Puducherry, they said.

Police protection was provided to the Karnataka Bank branches in Tamil Nadu. In an early morning incident here, protesters owing allegiance to Thanthai Periyar Dravida Kazhagam (TPDK) allegedly vandalised a popular restaurant owned by a native of Karnataka.

They smashed the window panes using iron rods and wooden logs and four persons belonging to the outfit had been detained in connection with the incident, a police official said.

At Rameswaram, seven tourist vehicles bearing Karnataka registration number plate that were parked at a temple were damaged when agitated members of various outfits including Naam Tamizhar Katchi allegedly indulged in vandalism.

The group entered the parking lot of the temple near Agni Theertham sea in the town and damaged the vehicles with clubs and stones, police said.

Cases have been registered against seven persons in connection with the episode, they said. .

Protests were held outside the branches of Karnataka Bank in Erode even as protestors barged into the bank’s branch at Puducherry and created a ruckus.

Around 25 workers of Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi entered the branch on Misson Street in the Union Territory wielding broomsticks, banged them on the tables and asked the bank staff to vacate the premises.

The staff ran helter skelter while the panic-stricken customers rushed out.

Policemen, who were deployed in the vicinity, rushed there and took the protesters into custody.

The bank was closed for a few hours after the incident and later reopened.

However, it was again shut following advice from police.

At Vellore in Tamil Nadu, students of Government Law College boycotted classes over the issue.

For the eight consecutive day, buses to Mysuru, Chamrajnagar and other places in Karnataka from Erode, Tirupur and Coimbatore in western Tamil Nadu were not operated.

PTI