Chandigarh, May 2 -- Tensions between Haryana and Punjab over water sharing snowballed into a major inter-state dispute on Thursday with chief minister Bhagwant Mann saying they will not tolerate "robbery" of Punjab's rights, and ordered the deployment of dozens of police personnel to a crucial dam in Nangal region of Rupnagar district to prevent water from being released to the neighbouring BJP-ruled state. According to officials aware of the matter, water was released from the Bhakra dam at 12.30am on Thursday, but was stopped at Nangal dam downstream by Punjab authorities at 3.30pm. The decision to release 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana was taken in a five-hour meeting of the Bhakra Beas Management Board's (BBMB) technical committee on Wednesday evening. BBMB reportedly increased outflows to the tune of 12,500 cusecs immediately after the meeting to meet Haryana's demand of an additional 8500 cusecs, along with Punjab's share of 4000 cusecs. The Union home secretary convened a meeting on Friday of the chief secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan, partners states in BBMB, to work out a solution.P7...