cauvery
cauveryIANS

The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear the petition of a Kanyakumari-based activist who has requested the apex court to direct Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to take strict action against those indulging in violence over the sharing of Cauvery water.

The SC will hear the activist's petition on Thursday.

The apex court on Monday had delivered the verdict on Karnataka's plea to reduce the amount of water to be released from the Cauvery river to Tamil Nadu. It modified its Sept. 5 order and reduced the amount of water to be released per day from 15,000 cusecs to 12,000 cusecs, but extended the number of days.

Following the order, violent protests erupted across the city of Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore) and Karnataka state, with protesters burning down vehicles, including a police patrol jeep. Two people died in clashes with the police while one remains critically injured. All metro and bus services were suspended while schools were asked to shut down. Curfew was imposed in 16 areas across Bengaluru, and Section 144 will continue to remain imposed until Sept. 14. Over 300 people were arrested, and the city remained under tense calmness on Tuesday.

However, the police lifted the curfew at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. 

A Karnataka-based hotel was also attacked in Chennai with petrol bombs on Monday, while a Kannadiga driver was thrashed and vehicles vandalised in Rameswaram and Ramanathapuram, respectively. 

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah appealed to citizens to maintain peace. He also wrote to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, asking her to ensure safety of Kannadigas in the state and take strict action against miscreants. 

"We have been facing injustice on Cauvery Issue for a very long time... But we have had to deal with the situation arising out of it. We have to implement in the executive what judiciary has directed," the CM said, requesting people not to take law in their own hands. 

Siddaramaiah also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking an appointment and requesting him to intervene in the matter.