Congress Councilor’s Daughter Murdered in Karnataka: Allegations of Love Jihad Spark Controversy
The case of the killing of the daughter of Congress councilor Nirajjan Hiremath in Hubli, Karnataka, has been labeled as a case of “love jihad.” Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has stated that behind this incident lies the angle of “love jihad.” He further mentioned that law and order under the Congress government has completely collapsed.
On the other hand, the father of the young woman also alleged that the incident was linked to “love jihad.” He claimed that the accused had conspired to trap his daughter. They had threatened her, but she did not pay attention to it.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has refuted the claims of “love jihad.” He stated that the murder is believed to be due to personal reasons and that law and order in the state is intact.
On Thursday (April 18th), Neha Hiremath, the 23-year-old daughter of Congress councilor Nirajan Hiremath, was stabbed to death on the BVB college campus in Hubli, Karnataka. Neha was a first-year student in the MCA program. Faiz Khondunaik (23), a dropout student of the same college, attacked Neha, stabbing her seven times on her neck and abdomen.
Faiz was also injured in the altercation. Both were rushed to the hospital, where Neha was declared dead. A video of the incident has surfaced on social media, showing Faiz allegedly attacking Neha.
The girl’s father, Nirajan Hiremath, said, “My demand is that the rest of the people involved should also be caught. If this is not love jihad, then what is it? For love jihad, they target the daughters of entire families. Perhaps such people should be encountered or hanged.”
The accused got angry for rejecting the proposal. The police had announced on 18th April that Neha and Faiyaz knew each other from before. Both were classmates in college. Neha had rejected his proposal, which led to Faiyaz’s involvement in the incident.
Hubli-Dharwad Police Commissioner Renuka A.S. Sukumar had stated that yesterday, an FIR was filed in this case, and the accused was arrested within an hour. We have completed all legal procedures. The accused has been handed over to judicial custody.
