A 12-hour statewide bandh called by pro-Kannada groups to protest the alleged assault of a state-run bus conductor in Belagavi for not knowing Marathi began on Saturday morning amid heightened security. Despite appeals from protesters, most shops across Karnataka remained open, with businesses and public transport operating largely unaffected.
In Bengaluru, activists gathered at Mysore Bank Circle, raising slogans and holding placards, while others staged demonstrations at the BMTC and KSRTC bus stands. Protesters urged bus drivers and conductors to join the bandh, leading to police taking several activists into preventive custody as agitation intensified.
In Mysuru, pro-Kannada activists blocked buses at the suburban stand and staged sit-in protests, with police detaining those attempting to halt KSRTC services. Similar demonstrations were reported in Davangere.
Belagavi, the centre of the ongoing linguistic dispute, witnessed limited movement of buses from Maharashtra, though KSRTC services continued. Recent incidents of alleged abuse against non-Marathi speakers in Belagavi have reignited tensions in the region, which frequently sees border-related conflicts. The accused in both assault and abuse cases have been taken into custody.
Senior officers are monitoring the situation across the state, with elaborate security arrangements including home guards and City Armed Reserve units deployed to prevent violence. Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda warned of strict legal action against anyone forcing participation in the bandh, confirming the deployment of 60 KSRP platoons, 1,200 home guards, and full civil and traffic police forces in the city.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar urged citizens to maintain peace, stating that while the government stands for the state’s interests, a bandh was unnecessary. Schools and colleges remained open, with no official holiday declared.
Despite partial support from autorickshaw, cab, and private driver unions, major sectors like hotels, malls, bars, and restaurants extended only moral support. Emergency services, petrol pumps, and metro operations remained unaffected, ensuring minimal disruption to daily life.
