Madikeri: People of Nalkeri, Hemmadu, M. Badaga and nearby villages and activists of Cauvery Sene and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) blocked the road at Betri bridge on Wednesday in protest against reckless sand mining in the Cauvery.

The activists alleged that the sand mining would endanger the bridge connecting Virajpet and Madikeri taluks.

Permission for sand mining in Kodagu was granted by the Department of Mines and Geology, Mysore. Mining should not be allowed up to one km from the bridge, they said.

But those engaged in sand mining violated the norms prescribed by the department, they alleged.

District convenor of Cauvery Sene Ravi Chengappa, Virajpet taluk convenor M.A. Srinivas, president of the Virajpet taluk unit of the BJP M.M. Ravindra, general secretary of the State BJP Yuva Morcha Robin Devaiah and members of gram panchayats were present.

They wanted the Deputy Commissioner and officials of the Department of Mines and Geology to arrive at the spot and promise them that sand mining in the river would not be allowed within a distance of one km from the bridge.

People from Kakot Parambu and Nalkeri alleged that sand mining was rampant in the Cauvery.

Arrested

When the activists did not withdraw their protest, the arrested them and clear the road for traffic.

They were taken to the Virajpet rural police station.