Meenakshi Shantigodu elected Dakshina Kannada ZP chief, Kasturi Panja deputy

April 28, 2016

Mangaluru, Apr 28: Meenakshi Shantigodu and Kasturi Panja of Bharatiya Janata Party have been elected the president and vice-president of the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat respectively on Thursday.

Elections to the zilla panchayats across the state including Dakshina Kannada were held in February this year. While Congress member Shekar Kukkedi was in fray for the president's post, Anitha Hemanath Shetty of the party contested for the post of vice-president.

The BJP candidates defeated their Congress counter parts by bagging 21 votes each in the zilla panchayat, which has a strength of 36 members. Congress candidates bagged 15 votes each.

The post of the president was reserved for SC/ST candidates while the vice-president post was for general category. The election officer AM Kunjappa conducted the election process and announced the result. The term of the newly elected president and vice-president will end in 20 months.

Priority for water'

Speaking to reporters after her victory, the new Zilla Panchayat president said that more emphasis will be given to provide drinking water to villages in the district.

“Basic facilities will be provided and roads will be developed in rural areas. Efforts will be made to implement all government schemes in the district effectively,” she promised adding that problems of all sections of the society including members of the backward communities and Dalits will be solved through a transparent administration.

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congo bjp jai.

Congratulation to newly elected Zp chief and Deputy.

Congratulations

all the best to both of you, development of your area should be prime priority for u.

The post of the president was reserved for SC/ST candidates ? we common people are not human's ?

all the best, let me c in 20 months what development u can make.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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