Bengaluru City Police have clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in the city for 24 hours from Thursday night, in view of the Karnataka Bandh call given by various organisations over Cauvery river water dispute on Friday.
City police commissioner B. Dayananda said the Supreme Court had termed a bandh that affects public life “unconstitutional” and that anyone trying to forcefully enforce a bandh would be in contempt of court. “Instructions have been given to the personnel to take stringent action against anyone who is forcing others to participate in the bandh,” he said. He also said any damage to public and private property will have to be borne by the perpetrators.
As prohibitory orders have been clamped like on Tuesday for Bengaluru Bandh, permission for any protest rallies and marches have been denied in the city on Friday too. However, all protests are to be held at Freedom Park. Mr. Dayananda said any violation of this rule will attract penal action.
Elaborate security arrangements have been made to maintain law and order in the city. Reserve police forces like Karnataka State Reserve Police, and City Armed Reserve have been deployed along with regular police force in full strength on the ground at strategic locations to ensure no untoward incidents occur. As part of precautionary measures, local police have also begun making preventive detentions on the eve of the bandh call.
