Belagavi Police Commissioner Nikam Prakash Amrat has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of BNSS from 6 AM on November 5 to 6 AM on November 7, 2026, across several police station limits in Belagavi city and rural areas to maintain law and order during the farmers’ Jail Bharo Movement.

Key restrictions:
Assembly of more than five people is prohibited.

Carrying weapons, sticks, explosives and other dangerous materials is prohibited.

Public speeches, demonstrations, singing and public announcements are prohibited.

Use of loudspeakers is banned.

The order covers Khade Bazar, Camp, Tilakwadi, Udyambag, Market, Malmaruti, Shahapur, APMC and Belagavi Rural police station limits.

Funeral processions and other processions permitted by authorities are exempted. Legal action will be taken against violators.

Traffic diversions have been announced on NH-48 following the commencement of the sugarcane farmers’ agitation by the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana at Kini Toll Naka. The police have issued separate diversion routes for heavy vehicles and four-wheelers travelling between Karnataka, Kolhapur, Sangli, Pune and Mumbai.

NH-48 Traffic Diversion Plan issued by Kolhapur Police

1. Heavy vehicles travelling from Karnataka towards Maharashtra

• Diversion point: Lakshmi Tekdi.
• Route: Lakshmi Tekdi → Kagal → Palus → MIDC → Ichalkaranji → Sangli.
• From Sangli, vehicles will proceed via Vita → Rahmatpur → Satara to rejoin NH-48.

2. Heavy vehicles travelling from Pune and Mumbai towards Karnataka

• Diversion point: Satara.
• Route: Satara → Rahmatpur → Vita → Sangli → Ichalkaranji → Kagal → Palus → MIDC → NH-48 → Karnataka.

3. Four-wheelers travelling from Karnataka and Kolhapur towards Sangli

• Vehicles can proceed up to Sangli Phata.
• Diversion route: Sangli Phata → Hatkanangle → Vadgaon → Ashta → Vita → Rahmatpur → Satara → NH-48.

4. Four-wheelers travelling from Pune and Mumbai

• Diversion point: Satara.
• Route: Satara → Rahmatpur → Vita → Ashta → Vadgaon → Hatkanangle → Sangli Phata.

5. Vehicles travelling from Tokasambhapur towards Kolhapur

– Vehicles can use the Vadgaon route to reach Kolhapur city.

Police Advisory for NH-48 Commuters

• Heavy vehicles must strictly follow the designated diversion routes.
• Four-wheelers should also follow the diversions announced by the police.
• Drivers are advised to plan their journeys accordingly and allow additional travel time.
• Follow instructions issued by traffic police at diversion points.

The diversions have been introduced to regulate traffic on the NH-48 corridor in view of the farmers’ protest at Kini Toll Naka.

From importing Chrysler and GM cars to bringing Maruti Suzuki to Belagavi, the Deshpande family’s automobile journey enters its fourth generation as Kapil Deshpande joins the business.

Belagavi: For the Deshpande family, automobiles have been more than just a business. They have been a four-generation family legacy, evolving with changing times, brands, and customer expectations.

The latest chapter in that journey begins on Monday with the inauguration of the new Mangesh Motors Maruti Suzuki Arena showroom at Devrajya, Khanapur Road, Camp, Belagavi. More than just an expansion of the dealership business, the move also marks the formal entry of the family’s fourth generation, with Kapil Deshpande joining the business.

The development reflects how a family-run enterprise, built over decades, is adapting to a new automobile market while bringing in the next generation to take the business forward.

The family’s association with automobiles dates back to when owning a car was rare in this region. It began with Shri G.C. Deshpande, who imported Chrysler and General Motors cars into the region. The next generation, led by Shri Rajabhau Deshpande and his brothers, expanded the business through Lambretta scooters, Suvega mopeds and Standard cars.

The business evolved further when Rohit Deshpande took up the Kinetic Honda two-wheeler dealership in 1990. In 2002, Mangesh Honda became one of the first-phase Honda two-wheeler dealers in India. The dealership completes 25 years with Honda in Belagavi this year.

The family subsequently entered the passenger car segment with a Honda Cars dealership in 2015. Now, in 2026, the addition of Maruti Suzuki Arena marks another significant step.

A new generation, a new direction

While the earlier generations built the business through changing automobile brands and customer relationships, the entry of Kapil Deshpande signals the next phase of the family’s journey.

The decision to bring Maruti Suzuki into the dealership portfolio is significant. With around 42% of the Indian passenger vehicle market, Maruti Suzuki is the country’s largest carmaker. The new Arena showroom will bring its range of cars to customers in Belagavi under the Mangesh Motors banner.

For Kapil, the challenge is to carry forward an established name while taking decisions that respond to today’s market.

“For our family, automobiles have always been about people, not just machines. I am proud to carry this legacy into its fourth generation with a brand that Indian families love and trust,” said Kapil Deshpande.

His entry comes at a time when the automobile business is undergoing significant changes, with evolving customer preferences, new technologies and increasing competition. The addition of another major automobile brand indicates the family’s intent to expand its presence rather than simply rely on its established dealerships.

From petrol pumps to selling the Maruti 800

For Rohit Deshpande, the new showroom also brings back memories of an earlier chapter.

“Forty-two years ago, I was fresh out of college when my father handed me the keys of our petrol pump. In those days, I asked my staff to give special treatment to every Maruti 800 that came in to refuel. I never imagined that one day I would be selling that same car in a new avatar,” he said.

“Belagavi has trusted our family for four decades, and this showroom is our way of serving the city better.”

Over the last 35 years, more than 2.5 lakh vehicles from the Mangesh Motors stable have found their way onto the roads of Belagavi and neighbouring regions.

That customer base and the family’s long association with the automobile trade provide the foundation for its latest expansion.

An inauguration marking a new milestone

The new Maruti Suzuki Arena showroom was inaugurated by Padma Shri Dr. Prabhakar Kore, former Chairman of KLE Society and former Rajya Sabha member. Industrialist and automobile component manufacturer Ram Bhandare and Dr Sachin Sabnis, Managing Director of Belgaum Ferrocast India Pvt. Ltd. and Independent Director on the IRCTC board, will attend as Guests of Honour.

The showroom is located at Devrajya, Khanapur Road, Camp, Belagavi.

For the Deshpande family, the occasion is not merely about adding another automobile brand. It represents the continuation of a business that has adapted through generations — from importing some of the earliest cars into the region to operating dealerships for some of India’s leading automobile manufacturers.

With the fourth generation now joining the business, Mangesh Motors is looking at its next chapter, carrying forward the family name while making room for new ideas and decisions.

Belagavi: Vehicle registrations at the Belagavi RTO (KA-22) recorded a significant rise in October 2026, with 5,222 vehicles registered during the month, compared to 4,551 in September — an increase of nearly 15%.

With October’s additions, the total number of vehicles registered under Belagavi RTO during the first ten months of 2026 has reached 41,075.

Monthly registrations in 2026

October recorded the second-highest monthly registrations of 2026, behind March’s 5,510.

Two-wheelers continue to dominate

Two-wheelers remained the preferred choice, with 4,146 registrations, accounting for nearly 79.4% of all vehicles registered during October.

The vehicle categories, ranked from highest to lowest, were:

• Two-Wheelers – 4,146
• Light Motor Vehicles – 716
• Light Goods Vehicles – 142
• Heavy Goods Vehicles – 90
• Light Passenger Vehicles – 79
• Medium Goods Vehicles – 21
• Three-Wheelers (Transport) – 19
• Other categories – 7
• Medium Passenger Vehicles – 2

Pure EV registrations cross 900

One of the biggest highlights of October was the increase in electric vehicle registrations.

Pure EV registrations reached 901, compared to 782 in September and 688 in August. This is the highest monthly figure recorded so far in 2026.

Fuel-wise, Petrol (E20) led with 2,427 registrations, followed by:

• Petrol – 1,223
• Pure EV – 901
• Diesel – 416
• Petrol (E20)/CNG – 116
• Petrol (E20)/Hybrid – 52
• Electric BOV – 32
• Strong Hybrid EV – 16

TVS narrowly beats Honda

The manufacturer rankings witnessed a close contest at the top. TVS Motor Company led with 966 registrations, just one vehicle ahead of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, which recorded 965.

Hero MotoCorp followed with 899 registrations.

The leading manufacturers were:

1. TVS Motor Company – 966
2. Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India – 965
3. Hero MotoCorp – 899
4. Suzuki Motorcycle India – 455
5. Bajaj Auto – 345
6. Maruti Suzuki India – 288
7. Royal Enfield – 160
8. Yamaha – 126
9. Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles – 106
10. Mahindra & Mahindra – 101

Among electric vehicle manufacturers, Ather Energy led with 70 registrations, followed by River Mobility (64), Greaves Electric Mobility (34), Simple Energy (30) and Ola Electric (10).

What stands out in October?

October presents three notable trends:

• Second-highest monthly registrations: At 5,222, October recorded the highest registrations since March.
• EV milestone: Pure EV registrations crossed 900 for the first time in the available 2026 monthly data, reaching 901.
• A close manufacturer race: Just one registration separated TVS and Honda, while Hero MotoCorp remained close behind with 899.

The share of two-wheelers also increased to nearly 80%, reinforcing their dominance in Belagavi’s vehicle market.

Source: Vahan Dashboard

Belagavi: Nine athletes from Belagavi participated in the 2026 Ironman 70.3 Goa, held on November 1, with six competing in the individual category and three taking part as a relay team.

Among the individual participants, Tejas Patil recorded the fastest finish from Belagavi, completing the gruelling event in 6 hours, 20 minutes and 8 seconds.

The six individual participants and their preliminary finish timings, as displayed on the event tracker, are:

Notably, Santosh Shanbhag and Mayura Shivalikar are multiple-time Ironman finishers, adding to their experience in long-distance endurance events.

Apart from the individual participants, three athletes from Belagavi – Balchandra Dori, Akshay Siddannavar and Sussen – participated as a relay team, collectively taking on the three disciplines of the event. Netra Sutar from Belagavi, with her teammates Devi Chandrasekhar, Priya Krishna also finished the Iron man 70.3

What is Ironman 70.3?

Ironman 70.3, also known as a Half Ironman, is a long-distance triathlon involving three consecutive disciplines: 1.9 km of swimming, 90 km of cycling and 21.1 km of running (a half marathon), covering a total distance of 113 km or 70.3 miles.

In the relay category, three team members share these disciplines, with each participant completing one leg of the event.

Completing an Ironman 70.3 requires considerable endurance, physical conditioning, preparation and mental determination.

With nine athletes participating, Belagavi had a strong presence at this year’s Goa edition, showcasing the city’s growing interest in endurance sports and triathlon.

Congratulations to all the participants!

Disclaimer: The names listed above are of the nine Belagavi participants known to us at the time of publication. There may be other athletes from Belagavi who participated in the Ironman 70.3 Goa. If we have missed anyone, please share their names with us so we can update the list.

North Karnataka could get improved rail connectivity with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announcing plans for a second Vande Bharat Sleeper train connecting Bengaluru and Mumbai via Hubballi. Speaking at the launch of the country’s third Vande Bharat Sleeper service on the Bengaluru-Mumbai route, Vaishnaw said the new train would run via Hubballi and connect Bengaluru with Pune and Mumbai.

The proposed service is expected to pass through Hubballi, offering an additional long-distance rail connectivity option for passengers travelling between Karnataka and Maharashtra. The announcement was made by the Railway Minister during his visit to Bengaluru on November 1, 2026.

The proposal is significant for North Karnataka, particularly for passengers from Hubballi and Belagavi, who depend on rail services for travel to Bengaluru, Pune and Mumbai. However, whether Belagavi will be included as a scheduled stop on the proposed service remains to be clarified.

The Railway Ministry is yet to announce the detailed route, station stops, train timings or commencement date. Until these details are officially released, the inclusion of Belagavi in the service cannot be confirmed.

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Mangalore Sub-Zonal Office, has provisionally attached movable and immovable properties worth ₹427.16 crore belonging to Shivanand Siddappa Neelannavar and persons/entities associated with him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

The provisional attachment order was issued on October 30, 2026, in connection with the investigation into the alleged ₹2,459 crore Shivam Associates Ponzi scam, in which more than 35,000 investors were allegedly cheated with promises of assured returns of 3% per month.

The attached assets include fixed deposits worth ₹3.67 crore, bank balances of ₹44.37 crore, immovable properties worth ₹13.68 crore and share market holdings valued at ₹1.31 crore, along with other movable and immovable assets. The total attachment value is ₹427,16,37,165.

According to the ED, the investigation revealed that investor funds were diverted through multiple channels, including high-risk stock trading, cooperative credit societies, real estate investments and business ventures linked to the accused and their associates. Around ₹185.95 crore was lost in stock trading, while approximately ₹25 crore was routed through cooperative societies to create fixed deposits and secure loans for purchasing land parcels.

Modus Operandi of the Mega Ponzi Scheme

PMLA investigation unmasked an organized investment fraud orchestrated by the kingpin, Shivanand Siddappa Neelannavar, along with his associates, who illegally collected Rs. 2,459.49 Crore from more than 35,000 gullible public investors by luring them through false representations that promised abnormally high, assured returns of 3% per month alongside a 0.5% referral commission for introducing new investors, with Neelannavar prominently introducing these network referral agents as “leaders”.

The ED had initiated its investigation based on an FIR registered by Malamaruti Police Station in Belagavi under the BNS, Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Act, 2019, and the KPID Act, 2004.

Shivanand Siddappa Neelannavar was arrested on August 13, 2026. A prosecution complaint against five persons and entities was filed on October 9, 2026, before the PMLA Court in Mangalore. Further investigation is underway.

During investigation, following movable-immovable properties amounting to ₹ 427,16,37,165/- belonging to Shivanand Siddappa Neelannavar and persons/entities associated with him was identified as having been acquired directly or indirectly from the Proceeds of Crime and have now been provisionally attached:

The investigation has revealed that the proceeds of crime were layered and diverted through multiple illicit channels, where substantial investor funds were gambled in high-risk stock trading resulting in net losses of Rs. 185.95 Crore. Furthermore, Rs. 25 Crore (Approx.) were routed through a complex web involving cooperative credit societies specifically Shreemata Co-operative Credit Society Ltd. and Dhanashree Multipurpose Co-op Society Ltd. to create fixed deposits that secured loans in the names of associates for purchasing land parcels. In addition to real estate investments, funds were channelled into close family bank accounts, including his wife Smt. Sangeeta and minor son Siddhant as well as connected business ventures such as M/s. Shivam Sevaa (OPC) Pvt. Ltd. (Rs. 19 Crore), Shivam Lifeline Pvt. Ltd., and Shivam Foods. The diverted funds were subsequently utilised for acquisition of movable-immovable properties and other business activities.

The Karnataka government has issued the following guidelines for Deepavali celebrations from November 8 to 10:

• Bursting hours: Firecrackers are permitted only between 8 pm and 10 pm each day.
• Green crackers only: People can use only certified green crackers carrying the prescribed green cracker mark and QR code.
• Strict enforcement: Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police have been instructed to ensure compliance.
• Restricted areas: Firecrackers are prohibited near hospitals, educational institutions and other designated areas.

• Inspections: District-level task forces will inspect cracker shops and warehouses.
• Seizure and action: Stocking prohibited crackers could lead to warehouse sealing and criminal cases.
• Interstate transport: Police and commercial tax officials will seize banned crackers transported from other states. Vehicles used for illegal transportation may also be confiscated.
• Awareness campaigns: Awareness programmes will be conducted at railway stations, bus stands, metro stations and shopping malls.
• Waste management: Local bodies have been directed to ensure scientific disposal of waste generated during the celebrations.
• Strict ban near hospitals & schools

Forest, environment and ecology minister Ramalinga Reddy said directions had been issued to all district administrations and enforcement agencies to comply with the Apex Court’s orders.
“The two-hour window between 8 pm and 10 pm will be the only period during which bursting of crackers will be permitted,” Reddy explained.

Belagavi: Farmer organizations have called for a statewide Karnataka Bandh on Saturday, October 31, intensifying their agitation over demands related to sugarcane prices.

Farmer leader Chunappa Pujeri announced the bandh, alleging that the state government has failed to respond adequately to the growers’ demands.
The farmers are demanding a total payment of ₹5,500 per tonne of sugarcane, comprising ₹4,500 from sugar factories and a ₹1,000 incentive from the state government.

Farmer leaders have warned that the agitation will continue until the government fulfils their demands.

Three distinguished personalities from Belagavi have been selected for the Rajyotsava Award 2026 in recognition of their contributions in their respective fields.

The awardees from Belagavi are Dr. Sujatha Mallikarjuna Jali in the field of Medical, Shri Kadappa Parasurama Gadiwadkar for Sculpture, and Dr. D.S. Chougale for Art and Theatre.

Their selection is a moment of pride for Belagavi, recognising their contributions and achievements in their respective disciplines.