Thanjavur: With pro-Kannada organizations and farmer unions resorting to a bandh and stir in Mandya, Mysuru and Hassana districts in Karnataka protesting the Supreme Court’s direction to release 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery water per day to Tamil Nadu for the next 10 days, two unidentified motorcycle-borne miscreants pelted stone on a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus damaging its windscreen in Thanjavur today.

The KSRTC bus from Bengaluru arrived at Thanjavur at 4 am. After offloading the passengers at new bus stand, the driver took it to a pond at Melavastha Chaavadi on the Thanjavur –Pudukottai road for washing the bus. As unrest prevailed in Bengaluru, the driver decided to park it safely on the Tamil University police station premises.

When the bus was on its way to the police station, the miscreants pelted stone and sped away. The windscreen of the bus was damaged. Police has registered a case and further investigation is on. The KSRTC bus has now been stationed safe at Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) depot in Thanjavur.

Meanwhile, the activists of pro-Kannada outfits in district in Karnataka, the nucleus of Cauvery politics, resorted to road blockades and picketed at several places urging Karnataka not to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

Shops, hotels and other commercial establishments remained shut. Schools and Colleges declared a holiday in the district where state run and private buses did not ply. Protests were also held in Mysuru and Hassana districts, protesting the SC’s directive to Karnataka to release water. Protesters also burnt the effigy of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa at several places.