Mangaluru : Revenue officials of Mangaluru City Corporation on Saturday locked seven shops at Surathkal for defaulting in paying rent to the corporation.

A revenue official said that the shops were in the Surathkal market building owned by the corporation. Some of them had not paid the monthly rent since a year. The corporation issued them notices. They were also informed orally. But the shop owners did not care.

The officials with police protection locked the shops on Saturday morning. The rent due, including fine and service tax, from the traders ranged from a minimum of Rs. 5,000 to a maximum of Rs. 70,000.

The shops would be opened only after they made the payment, the official said.