Hundreds of houses damaged, thousands of livestock killed as rains maroon cities, towns in parts of Karnataka

News Network
August 30, 2022

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Benglauru, Aug 30: Normal life continued to affect in parts north Karnataka and of Mysuru region due to heavy rains that turned Ramanagara district into one big pool. A breach in Bakshi lake on Monday resulted in the flooding of Bengaluru-Mysuru Express Highway and railway tracks. 

Hundreds of houses were damaged, food grains and standing crops destroyed and thousands of livestock killed due to the impact of heavy rain in Ramanagara district. Motorists taking the highway had a tough time and a private bus carrying passengers was stranded on the highway.

Residents were rescued and shifted to seven relief centres. Heavy rains and floods inundated vast tracts of farm lands, destroying crops.

Rainwater gushed into the layouts of the town as the Bolappanakere overflowed. The lake has developed cracks, posing a great risk. 

Patients were shifted from the ground floor of Ramakrishna hospital as water entered the premises.

Vehicular movement came to a standstill on the 10-lane Bengaluru-Mysuru highway.

As the highway was closed at Channapatna and Ramanagara, vehicles were diverted to alternative routes.

A few cars and a bus were stuck in water as the Basavanapura underpass was flooded. Residents rescued passengers and those inside the car.

Boregowda (52), a resident of Ittamadu, was killed on the spot, while one more person was injured after a tree came crashing down on a car at Toredoddi village in Bidadi hobli.

Over 30 sheep were killed after the wall of a house fell on them at Gandhinagar in Ramanagara town.

Movement of trains was affected in the morning as water entered railway stations in Ramanagara and Channapatna.

Six houses in the quarters for fire department staff near Basavanapura on the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway were flooded with rainwater.

Water entered over 30 houses and a government school building at Palabhovidoddi village.

A cattle and a water tanker were washed away in flash floods in Arkavathi river. However, residents rescued the cattle.  

There was a flood-like situation following heavy discharge of water from Kanva dam in Channapatna. Water entered many villages and disrupted vehicular traffic.

Chamarajanagar and Yalandur taluks in Chamarajanagar district received heavy rains, believed to be the highest rainfall for a single day in the last three decades.

The downpour damaged houses, crops, public and private properties. There were floods in streams, lakes and rivers. 

Normal life was disrupted till noon. The district administration declared a holiday for schools and colleges.

Vehicular movement on the Chamarajanagar-Santhemaralli road was disrupted for hours as a bridge on the stretch was submerged. 

There was a mudslide near the 7th mile on the Madikeri-Mangaluru road. The Triveni Sangama at Bhagamandala has gone under water. Rainwater has entered the Bhagandeshwara temple.

Showers in Napoklu in Kodagu district created panic. Connectivity between Bhagamandala and Madikeri was cut off.

Bhagamandala and surrounding areas received 21.5 cm rainfall. A stretch of the Karike road caved in, affecting movement of traffic. 

North Karnataka

Kalaburagi, Bidar, Yadgir and Raichur in Kalyana Karnataka received heavy rains. Raichur and Yadgir recorded 16 mm rainfall.

It rained heavily in Haveri, Gadag, Uttara Kannada (U-K), Ballari and Vijayanagar districts.

A bridge connecting Akkur and Maradur villages across Varada river was washed away completely. 

It poured for the third consecutive day in Vijayanagar and Ballari districts, damaging houses.

Traffic came to a halt on the Adoni-Siraguppa road as the Raravi bridge was submerged. It rained for hours together in Hosapete. Sirsi and Mundgod in U-K district too recorded heavy rains.

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News Network
January 20,2026

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KCF, a global socio-cultural organisation of Karnataka expatriates, is actively involved in education, humanitarian initiatives and community well-being across several countries. The awardees were selected following a structured evaluation of nominations by the Annual Council Program Committee, based on the depth, consistency and long-term impact of their social service.

One of the award recipients, Abdul Razak Haji, a prominent UAE-based entrepreneur from the Qamcon Group of Companies, was honoured for his significant contributions to society. Through both his professional journey and personal initiatives, he has supported numerous employees and families, while also extending assistance in education, housing for the underprivileged and various charitable causes, largely carried out quietly over the years. His award was presented earlier during the Annual Council Program held at the KCF Abu Dhabi office.

The second award was conferred on Latheef Kakkinje, a young social worker based in Abu Dhabi, in recognition of his active involvement in community engagement programmes, sports initiatives, talent festivals and family-oriented social activities. His consistent volunteering efforts and commitment to humanitarian causes were highly appreciated by the selection committee.

The award presentation ceremony for Latheef Kakkinje was held at the Zayed Cricket Stadium (Astro Turf Ground) in the presence of Kedumbady Ibrahim Saqafi, President of KCF UAE; Ibrahim, General Secretary; Kabeer Bayambady, President of KCF Abu Dhabi; Ummer Ishwaramangila, General Secretary; along with other members of the KCF Abu Dhabi cabinet.

Congratulating both awardees, KCF leaders reiterated the organisation’s commitment to recognising individuals who selflessly work for social upliftment and community service.

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News Network
January 20,2026

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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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News Network
January 23,2026

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The Voice of Hind Rajab, inspired by the tragic final moments of a young Palestinian girl killed by Israeli fire in Gaza, has been nominated for an Academy Award in the Best International Feature Film category.

Directed by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, the film recounts the true story of five-year-old Hind Rajab, who lost her life in January 2024 while fleeing Israeli bombardment with her family.

The film features the real audio of Hind’s desperate call to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, where she pleaded for help moments before the vehicle she was in was struck by 355 bullets.

The haunting narrative begins with a brief call made from the besieged Tel al-Hawa neighborhood of Gaza, where gunfire and armored vehicles drowned out every sound.

After witnessing the brutal killing of her family, she made a trembling call, her voice reduced to a whisper as she spoke of the massacre and her unbearable loneliness as the sole survivor.

Premiering at the Venice International Film Festival in September 2025, The Voice of Hind Rajab garnered widespread acclaim, receiving a record-setting 23-minute standing ovation and the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize, the festival’s second-highest honor.

In her acceptance speech, Ben Hania dedicated the film to humanitarian workers and first responders in Gaza, emphasizing that Hind's voice symbolizes countless civilians affected by war.

She aims to give voice to victims often reduced to mere statistics, highlighting the broader suffering of civilians in war zones.

The film’s Oscar nomination underscores its powerful storytelling and ethical approach to depicting real-life tragedy, making it a crucial piece of contemporary cinema.

It serves not only as a narration of individual tragedy but also as an artistic and documentary response to the silence and censorship that often overshadow West Asian struggles and wars.

Using an innovative method she calls docufiction, Ben Hania bridges unvarnished reality and narrative structure, creating a work that is both artistically valuable and socially impactful.

Born in 1977 in Sidi Bouzid—later the epicenter of the Arab revolution—her background profoundly influenced her worldview and artistic approach.

She is a graduate of the Higher School of Audiovisual Arts of Tunis, Pantheon-Sorbonne University, and La Fémis in Paris, where her studies equipped her with the technical and theoretical tools needed to address complex subjects. 

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