Offices, stores and educational establishments were closed in India's southern state of Karnataka and its capital Bengaluru during a day-long strike on Friday.

The shutdown was called by political parties and civic groups to protest a court order on releasing waters from dams on the Cauvery river to the neighbouring Tamil Nadu state.

Most of the information technology (IT) firms in Bangalore - home to software majors like Infosys and Wipro as well as nearly 400 multinationals - were closed, broadcaster NDTV reported.

Public transport remained off roads in the state, and metro services and airport taxis also did not function. Banks and restaurants were also closed.

Meanwhile, police fired shots into the air and used batons to disperse protesters at one of the four dams on the Cauvery, the NDTV report said.

Bengaluru, India's third most populous city, depends solely on Cauvery river for drinking water for its 10mn inhabitants.

The Cauvery river originates in Karnataka and flows through Tamil Nadu into the Bay of Bengal. The dispute over sharing its waters between the two states dates back several decades.