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BANGALORE, India, Friday (AFP) More than 40 farmers were arrested Thursday in the southern Indian state of Karnataka for violating a curfew imposed following a long-running water row with a neighbouring state, police said.

B.P. Kaniram, deputy commissioner of Mandya district, where farmers went on the rampage Wednesday burning government vehicles and forcing police to fire teargas shells, said the farmers held protests in defiance of the curfew.

"They took to the streets shouting slogans and were immediately arrested," Kaniram told AFP.

"The district remained peaceful compared to yesterday when more than 200 people were arrested."

Last month a farmer committed suicide by jumping into areservoir in Mandya, 100 kilometres (62 miles) southwest of the state capital Bangalore, to protest against Karnataka government's decision to release water to Tamil Nadu state.

India's Supreme Court in September told Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu but Karnataka Chief Minister S.M. Krishna initially refused, arguing the state was facing a severe drought.

The Tamil Nadu government decided to move a contempt case against the chief minister which is slated to come up for a final hearing Friday.

Earlier this week the Karnataka government backed down.

Police said security in Mandya district, where two prominent reservoirs are located, had been stepped up.

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