Bengaluru: Protesters to choke key roads; cops alert

BENGALURU: With about 35,000 people affiliated to the Congress and Vokkaliga organisations from 12 districts set to descend on Bengaluru to stage a rally to protest the arrest of DK Shivakumar in an alleged money-laundering case, traffic movement on key stretches in south and central Bengaluru is likely to be thrown out of gear for several hours on Wednesday.
The procession will start from Basavanagudi National College grounds at 11.30am and conclude at Freedom Park — a distance of 5.2km. Bengaluru City police commissioner Bhaskar Rao said 5,000 police personnel, 50 KSRP platoons, 40 of City Armed Reserve and 550 home guards will be deployed along the route of protest.

Senior Congress leader R Ramalinga Reddy, the protest spearhead, said the rally will be held in a peaceful manner. The JD(S) has backed the rally. Deputy chief minister CN Ashwath Narayan said Shivakumar’s supporters must obey the law during the rally.