The pro-Kannada organisations have called for a statewide bandh in Karnataka today to protest against the Supreme Court direction to release Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu. The bandh is likely to throw normal life out of gear. On Friday, the city of Bengaluru will turn into a fortress with an unprecedented deployment of local, state and central police forces across the IT capital as it braces for mob violence.

Public transport may be affected as state transport buses will stay off the roads, and autorickshaw and cab unions are extending their support to bandh. Metro services is also likely to be hit.

The Mysore-Mandya-Bangalore road will continue to remain blocked affecting road traffic. However, essential services will be functioning.

Besides the police deployment made in Mysore, KRS Dam, Mandya, Kabini, a similar number of police personnel will be deployed on Friday in the city as officials said they anticipated trouble from anti-social elements in the Tamil speaking areas of West Bengaluru.

Among the central police forces, who will be deployed include four companies of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), two companies of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and two companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF).

Markets, malls and cinema halls have also been asked to remain shut today.

Schools and colleges have declared a holiday today and attendance at government offices will not be compulsory.