Protesters shout slogans against the Cauvery award in Bangalore. (PTI)

Bangalore, Feb. 5: After riots following a film icon’s death and a pro-Saddam rally gave it a bad name, the city that is the face of India’s resurgent IT economy was poised for some more embarrassment two days before a global air show.

The Cauvery award to Tamil Nadu today raised the fear of violence again in Bangalore, where 5,000 foreign executives have checked in for the Aero India exhibition beginning Wednesday.

Tomorrow, 40 air chiefs, or their representatives from various air forces, will be flying down from Delhi for the show that has attracted global majors from the US, Russia, UK, France and other nations.

Instead of the bustling knowledge economy hub the West has recently learnt to fear, all they might see are empty streets, downed shutters and a sea of securitymen.

Schools closed early today and even office-goers hurried home as TV channels broadcast the Cauvery award, following it up with programmes on the looming violence.

Protesters shut down shops and offices and ITES companies called media contacts to ask if they should call off the second shifts, which they finally didn’t.

Releasing water to Tamil Nadu has always been a sensitive issue in Karnataka, with the 1991 interim award having set off riots targeting Tamils. The Karnataka Tamils’ Federation today wrote to the Prime Minister to prevent a repeat, and Tamil Nadu buses stopped plying to Karnataka.

The chief minister appealed for calm and the police chief sent out text messages asking people to ignore rumours. Thousands of police, armed police and RAF personnel — some from neighbouring states — have been sent to Bangalore and the Cauvery delta districts.