IFF deploys 1,200 volunteers in holy sites to serve Hajj pilgrims from India

Media Release

August 28, 2017

Makkah, Aug 28: India Fraternity Forum (IFF), which is known for its selfless service towards Hajj pilgrims from India in Saudi Arabia, is all set to serve “the guests of Allah”. Marakiz Al Ahya, a local organization under the auspicious of the government of Saudi Arabia involved in various community service activities, is also assisting the IFF.

In a recently held press meet, the office bearers of the two organizations said that they had completed the necessary preparations engaging a contingent of 1200 volunteers for serving the Hajj pilgrims this year.

“They will be Indian expatriates from various states who are fluent in different local languages besides English and Arabic, which would help them to serve the Hajj pilgrims from India. The area of volunteer service will include, pilgrim accommodation in Makkah, Aziziyah, Hajj Mission medical facilities, Mashair Train stations in Arafa and the tent city of Mina including a number of medical dispensaries,” they said.

Volunteers will guide the pilgrims to reach their destinations, help avail medical facilities and wheel chairs when required. They will also advise them with health and safety instructions to perform the Hajj with ease and comfort. Volunteer deployment for the entire operation is facilitated under various teams in Makkah, Arafa, Mina Tents and Mina public places. Apart from this, groups of volunteers will be engaged in various hospitals and medical facilities in Mina.

Volunteers have already started extending their services, since the first group of Hajj pilgrims from India has arrived in the Kingdom and the volunteers have been serving the Indian Hajees in the premises of Masjidul Haram Makkah and Aziziyah. In Madina, the Fraternity Forum volunteers from different Indian states are helping the pilgrims.

Hajj Camps

IFF has arranged Hajj camps inTamilnadu, Karnataka and Kerala for guiding the pilgrims before they leave the country for Hajj. The camps organized were unique and effective with multimedia presentation conveying details to the Hajj pilgrims starting from their home till they return back to their homes. Under different sessions, the camps conveyed the spirit of Hajj, how to perform hajj step by step, health and safety precautions while travelling and performing the rituals of Hajj and during their stay in the holy cities.

Map for Hajj pilgrims

To help the Indian pilgrims, IFF has prepared the map covering the whole area of pilgrim accommodation in Makkah and Aziziyah and the updated map for the tent city of Mina will be released on the 6th of Dhul-Hijja.

Hajj Navigator App

IFF has developed an android based application for locating the tents in Mina and Updated version of this app will be released soon with latest statistics. This app will cover the Aziziyah& Makkah accommodation area and the whole of the tent of city of Mina and will help the Hajis to reach their destinations/ accommodation buildings easily.

The whole volunteer operation will be coordinated by a team with Mohammed Sadiq (Coordinator) Mohammed Ali (Asst. Coordinator), Mudassir (Volunteer Captain), Shahul Hameed (Asst. Captain).

Mohammed Siddiqui (Volunteer Teams Co-ordinator Marakiz Al Ahyaa), Fayazuddin(IFF Regional President), Shamsuddeen KM (Regional Secretary), Mohammed Sadiq (Hajj Coordinator), Omer Husain (IFF Regional Council member) were present in the press meet.

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Masha Allah ....Great work by IFF

masha allah

May allah grant afiyah to all IFF servers. Ameen

Masha Allah Very good. Keep it up IFF.

MashaALLAH

Indeed great Humanitarian Service by IFF

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Who is Ramachandra Rao? Karnataka DGP, actress Ranya’s stepfather suspended over viral ‘obscene’ video

News Network

January 20,2026

Karnataka DGP (Civil Rights Enforcement) K Ramachandra Rao was suspended with immediate effect, as per a state government order issued on Monday, 19 January. The order cited conduct unbecoming of a government servant and causing embarrassment to the state administration.

The Karnataka government suspended Rao after a purported video showed him in a compromising position with a woman inside his official chamber. The video went viral on social media. Rao rejected the videos outright, terming them "fabricated and false".

Who is K Ramachandra Rao?

Rao is a DGP-rank officer who was heading the Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement until his suspension. He was promoted to DGP in September 2023 and assumed office in October 2023, the Sunday Guardian reported.

He also served as the Chairman and Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited.

His stint as the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for the Southern Range was also marred by controversy. In 2014, during a cash seizure near Mysuru’s Yelwal, officials claimed the seized amount was ₹20 lakh, while the accused (Kerala-based merchants) claimed it was around ₹2.27 crore.

Rao, who was present during the seizure, denied all allegations. However, he was transferred soon after.

Allegations of collusion with a businessman surfaced, and a senior police officer was quoted by The Sunday Guardian as saying, “In Rao’s case, the CID has clearly mentioned that there was a great degree of lapse on the part of Rao and a deputy superintendent of police after it was brought to their notice that a few policemen, including a gunman attached to the IGP, were involved in the robbery.”

Rao had denied all wrongdoing in that incident. Despite past controversies, he rose to the state’s top police position, the Sunday Guardian reported.

Ranya Rao’s stepfather

Rao is the stepfather of Kannada actress Harshavardhini Ranya alias Ranya Rao, accused of orchestrating the illegal import of gold worth over ₹12.56 crore from Dubai to India along with two others — businessman Tarun Raju, and jewellery dealer Sahil Jain.

‘Obscene video’ controversy

A viral video showed Rao behaving inappropriately with a woman inside his office while in uniform.

The Karnataka government said in its Monday order that “vide videos and news reports widely broadcast on public news channels and media platforms, it is observed that Dr K Ramachandra Rao has acted in an obscene manner which is unbecoming of a Government Servant and also causing embarrassment to the Government.”

The order said the matter was examined by the state government, which found that the officer's conduct amounted to a violation of Rule 3 of the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968.

The government said it is prima facie satisfied that "it is necessary to place Rao under suspension with immediate effect, pending inquiry".

During the suspension period, Rao will be entitled to subsistence allowance as per Rule 4 of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969.

The order also places restrictions on his movement, stating that during the period of suspension, the officer must not leave headquarters under any circumstances without the written permission of the state government.

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