MCC’s first zonal office inaugurated at Surathkal

Mangaluru, Mar 6: As a step towards decentralization of its administration, the Mangaluru City Corporation on Monday opened its first zonal office in Surathkal.

The MCC for long had a sub-office at Surathkal, which has since been now upgraded to a zonal office. The commissioner has delegated some of his powers to the zonal commissioners for effective functioning of these zonal offices.

As per the Cadre and Recruitment rules for staff of the city corporations, which came into effect in 2011-12, the MCC has formed three zones: Surathkal (Zone 1), Lalbagh (Zone 2) and Kadri (Zone 3). The zone 2 and zone 3 would come up in MCC?building itself. The council of MCC had approved creation of three zones in its meeting on September 26, 2016.

Each zonal office will be headed by a zonal commissioner. The commissioner would be assisted by a development officer (assistant executive engineer–civil), a revenue officer and an assistant revenue officer, an environment engineer, four assistant engineers for civil, electrical, water supply, underground drainage works and supporting staff.

Incidentally, while Lalbagh office was supposed to function out of MCC's main office at Lalbagh, protestations from corporators saw the council of MCC shift the Kadri office also to the civic body's main office rather than at its commercial complex at Kadri-Mallikatte.

Surathkal (West), Surathkal (East), Katipalla (West), Katipalla-Krishnapura, Katipalla (North), Idya (East), Idya (West), Hosabettu, Kulia, Baikampady, Panambur and Bengre (ward 1 to 11 and 60) will come under zonal one. As many as 31 wards (wards 12 to 19; 23 to 31; 36; 39 to 42; and wards 55 to 58) will come under zone two. Zone three will have 17 wards (wards 20 to 22; 32 to 35; 37-38; 48 to 54 and ward 59).

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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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