Congress leader's daughter stabbed to death on college campus in Karnataka's Hubballi, 'jilted lover' held

Hubballi: A 23-year-old girl was stabbed to death by her ex-classmate of BVB College (KLE Technological University) inside the college campus in Hubballi on Thursday.

The horrific incident, where the accused Fayaz Khondunaik (23) stabbed the victim Neha Hiremath multiple times with knife in the neck, stomach and other parts of her body was recorded on the CCTV cameras installed in campus. Unfortunately for Neha, none of the eyewitnesses came forward to help her.

The incident took place at 4:30 pm, while she was returning after finishing her first semester MCA exams.

Though she was rushed to the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) Hospital, Hubballi by the staff and students at the college, she was declared brought dead by the doctors.

Neha is the daughter of Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) corporator and Congress leader Niranjanayya Hiremath. Fayaz is a resident Savadatti taluk in Belagavi district.

According to sources in police department, both the accused and the victim were classmates and friends in BCA. However, after the college management and Neha’s parents opposed their friendship, she started to distance herself from Fayaz. Police believe that he stabbed her over this.

Neha’s parents had also stopped her from going to college over the issue.

On Thursday she had come to college to give her MCA first semester exams. Fayaz, who confronted her at the campus started to punch her and stabbed her multiple times, before fleeing the spot. He was however overpowered by a few students in the campus. He was handed over to Vidyanagar police only after being thrashed black and blue by the students.

Hubballi- Dharwad Police Commissioner Renuka Sukumar said a case has been registered and they are interrogating the accused to understand the motive behind this heinous act.

MLA Prasad Abbayya and several leaders visited the KIMS Hospital and consoled the family members.

Commending the incident, members of ABVP staged a protest in front of BVB Campus. They demanded capital punishment to the accused.

Protests by family, pro-Hindu groups

Family members of the victim Neha Hiremath and pro-Hindu organisations staged a protest in front of Vidyanagar police station in Hubballi on Thursday night demanding the accused be handed over to them.

Addressing the protesters, Niranjanayya Hiremath, the victim's father, said, "Police should take stern action against the accused. If the accused is released on bail, he will take the law into his own hands. No such incidents should happen to any person in the future."

Pro-Hindu organisation members accused there is no protection for Hindus in the Congress government in the state. They also demanded Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath’s bulldozer model in the state to teach a lesson to the culprit.

They said they will fight till the accused is given capital punishment. They also urged lawyers in the city to not take up the case of accused.