Ananya Lohia , Bengaluru - Protests erupted across Karnataka's Mandya district on Friday after the Cauvery Water Management Authority directed the state to release 3,500 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days. Farmers and Kannada outfits opposed the order, citing drought and poor rainfall.

Hundreds of protesters gathered near the KRS reservoir, with some women symbolically eating grass and rolling on the roads to express their anger. Police detained several demonstrators and deployed around 1,500 personnel across the district, while public entry to Brindavan Gardens was restricted as a precaution.

The CWMA upheld the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee's recommendation despite Karnataka's claims of severe drought. Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has called an all-party meeting on August 2 and is expected to meet Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay on August 3 to discuss the issue.

As tensions over the Cauvery water-sharing dispute intensify, Karnataka is preparing for legal and political action while both states look to resolve the issue through dialogue.