Bengaluru: The bandh declared across Karnataka protesting against the Mahadayi verdict gained momentum soon after the film fraternity joined the phalanx of agitators by Saturday noon, July 30.

Actor Shiva Rajkumar led a massive rally in the heart of the city which literally halted the city life. The rally started at Dr Rajkumar arch on KG Road and moved towards town hall.

Almost all business establishments in the city were shut down.

Film actors like Ganesh, Hema Chaudhary, Rangayana Raghu, Meghna Raj, Jai Jagadeesh, Chiranjeevi Sarja, producers like Rockline Venkatesh, Sa.Ra.Govind and others have joined hands with the agitators.

Important highways and roads across south and north Bengaluru and Central Business District (CBD) have been blocked. Even the taxies, cabs and buses plying between international airport and city have been stopped. Stray incidents of assault on auto rickshaw drivers who ventured to do business were also reported in some parts of the city.

Ambreesh, Puneeth’s absence enrage protesters

The absence of actor turned politician Ambareesh and top stars like Puneeth Rajkumar, Darshan and Sudeep in the protest rally enraged the public as well as the fraternity of Kannada film industry.

The stars who abstained from the protest refused to react when NewsKarnataka.com contacted them.

Meanwhile, Puneeth Rajkumar is out of the country on a shoot. Sudeep is said to be in Hyderabad on promotional activity of his next bilingual flick.

The protesters raised questions about Ambareesh’s commitment for the cause of Kannada and Karnataka.

Adding misery for the common man, rains added to the chaos.