Meet the 22-year-old Bangalore woman who burnt 42 buses

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam members stage a rail blockade to protest against TN and Karnataka Cauvery dispute in Coimbatore. - PTI

More than 56 buses were set on fire by angry protesters.

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By Web Report

Published: Sun 18 Sep 2016, 1:35 PM

Last updated: Mon 19 Sep 2016, 1:43 AM

The Cauvery water row has sparked violent protests and destruction of property over the last two weeks in southern India, all over the release of water between the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. 
People came together from the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to protest the water sharing agreement of the Cauvery river water, seeking a final solution to the problem. 
According to a September 12 report by India.com, more than 56 buses were set on fire by angry protesters. 
Now, according to a new report in the Times of India, 42 of those buses were set alight by one woman who is just 22 years old. 
The woman -- C Bhagya, a labourer on a daily wage -- was arrested after CCTV footage revealed that she used petrol and diesel bombs to torch buses, reports Kerala Online News. She was arrested from her house that she shares with her parents in Bengaluru. 
The report goes on to add that she was booked for "attempt to murder (IPC 307), unlawful assembly (IPC 143), rioting (IPC 147), rioting with deadly weapon (IPC 148), voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means (IPC 324), causing damage (IPC 427), damage by fire or explosive substance (IPC 435) and Column 2 of Prevention of Destruction and Loss of Property Act of 1981."
According to the law, as the accused is a woman the police could not hold her in custody overnight and she was moved to a remand home. 
The accused still does not have any legal representation, according to the Bangalore Mirror owing to her economic standing in society. As the woman comes from a poor background, the report adds, she cannot pay for legal representation. 
The Cauvery water dispute back to 1892 according to the Indian Express after an agreement between Madras Presidency and Mysore was filed for negotiations but led to a fresh set of disputes. The conflict went on after Independence after an agreement was reached in 1976 by a committee over water sharing.
Now a fresh meeting will be held on Monday, September 19 when the Cauvery Supervisory Committee will gather to decide the quantity of water that should be released to the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry. 
 

Web Report

Published: Sun 18 Sep 2016, 1:35 PM

Last updated: Mon 19 Sep 2016, 1:43 AM

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