Bandh: Mandya witnesses protests

On Thursday morning, Mandya witnessed protests as supporters of the Karnataka bandh took to the streets to voice their opposition to the directive to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. Various organizations, including pro-Kannada groups and farmers' associations, organized an empty-pot protest at Sanjay Circle. Despite this, vehicle movement on the city's main roads continued normally.

Some protesters cooked horse gram at the Circle, symbolizing the challenges faced by farmers who cannot grow paddy and sugarcane due to insufficient reservoir water and are forced to rely on rain-fed crops like horse gram. They raised slogans against the directive and demanded that no water be released to Tamil Nadu under any circumstances.

Shops and hotels remained closed for a few hours in support of the cause, while most commercial establishments returned to normal operations later. Bike rallies were also organized in the city to show solidarity with the bandh.