<p>Karwar: A 30-year-old Dalit woman was stabbed to death on a road in Uttara Kannada, allegedly by a man known to her, police said.</p><p>The accused, identified as Rafique Imamsab, was later found dead, hanging from a tree in a forest near Yellapur on Sunday, Superintendent of Police Deepan M N told PTI.</p><p>The incident triggered tension in the town, with several Hindu outfits calling for a bandh and terming the killing a case of 'love jihad'.</p><p>The woman has been identified as Ranjitha Bhanasode (30), a resident of Kalamma Nagar here, police said.</p><p>Rafique, also a resident of the same locality, was the prime accused in the murder. Police said the two had known each other since their school days.</p><p>"Preliminary investigation suggests the accused was pressuring the woman to marry him. After she refused, he allegedly attacked her with a knife in a public place," a police officer said.</p><p>The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon when Ranjitha was returning home from her workplace.</p><p>Police said Ranjitha was married in Maharashtra about 12 years ago and has a 10-year-old son.</p><p>She had been living separately and was staying with her family in Yellapur, where she worked as a mid-day meal helper at a government school.</p><p>The accused reportedly frequented her house for meals, but tensions escalated when he began insisting on marriage, which Ranjitha and her family opposed.</p><p>Following the murder, angry residents and Hindutva activists staged a protest outside the Yellapur police station, alleging a delay in the arrest of the accused and warning of continued protests until action was taken.</p>.TN BJP chief Nainar Nagenthran urges party workers to take vow to unseat DMK from power.<p>Meanwhile, Rafique’s body was found hanging from a tree in a nearby forest earlier in the day. Police said the circumstances of his death are being investigated.</p><p>BJP state president B Y Vijayendra, who attended Ranjitha’s funeral, demanded Rs 50 lakh in compensation and two acres of land for the bereaved family.</p><p>He also announced an immediate assistance of Rs five lakh on behalf of the party.</p><p>Sri Ram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik alleged the incident was a case of 'love jihad', claiming that single, widowed or separated women were being targeted.</p><p>In view of the situation, police have deployed additional forces and imposed tight security arrangements.</p><p>Condemning the incident, Vijayendra alleged that such crimes were recurring due to the inaction of the state government and the home department.</p><p>"Whenever such incidents occur, even before the police begin their investigation, the chief minister and the home minister give a clean chit by declaring that it is not a case of ‘love jihad’," he alleged.</p><p>He demanded a thorough investigation and justice for the victim’s family.</p><p>'Love jihad' is used by right-wing groups to allege a conspiracy by Muslim men to lure Hindu women into relationships and marriage to convert them to Islam.</p>
<p>Karwar: A 30-year-old Dalit woman was stabbed to death on a road in Uttara Kannada, allegedly by a man known to her, police said.</p><p>The accused, identified as Rafique Imamsab, was later found dead, hanging from a tree in a forest near Yellapur on Sunday, Superintendent of Police Deepan M N told PTI.</p><p>The incident triggered tension in the town, with several Hindu outfits calling for a bandh and terming the killing a case of 'love jihad'.</p><p>The woman has been identified as Ranjitha Bhanasode (30), a resident of Kalamma Nagar here, police said.</p><p>Rafique, also a resident of the same locality, was the prime accused in the murder. Police said the two had known each other since their school days.</p><p>"Preliminary investigation suggests the accused was pressuring the woman to marry him. After she refused, he allegedly attacked her with a knife in a public place," a police officer said.</p><p>The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon when Ranjitha was returning home from her workplace.</p><p>Police said Ranjitha was married in Maharashtra about 12 years ago and has a 10-year-old son.</p><p>She had been living separately and was staying with her family in Yellapur, where she worked as a mid-day meal helper at a government school.</p><p>The accused reportedly frequented her house for meals, but tensions escalated when he began insisting on marriage, which Ranjitha and her family opposed.</p><p>Following the murder, angry residents and Hindutva activists staged a protest outside the Yellapur police station, alleging a delay in the arrest of the accused and warning of continued protests until action was taken.</p>.TN BJP chief Nainar Nagenthran urges party workers to take vow to unseat DMK from power.<p>Meanwhile, Rafique’s body was found hanging from a tree in a nearby forest earlier in the day. Police said the circumstances of his death are being investigated.</p><p>BJP state president B Y Vijayendra, who attended Ranjitha’s funeral, demanded Rs 50 lakh in compensation and two acres of land for the bereaved family.</p><p>He also announced an immediate assistance of Rs five lakh on behalf of the party.</p><p>Sri Ram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik alleged the incident was a case of 'love jihad', claiming that single, widowed or separated women were being targeted.</p><p>In view of the situation, police have deployed additional forces and imposed tight security arrangements.</p><p>Condemning the incident, Vijayendra alleged that such crimes were recurring due to the inaction of the state government and the home department.</p><p>"Whenever such incidents occur, even before the police begin their investigation, the chief minister and the home minister give a clean chit by declaring that it is not a case of ‘love jihad’," he alleged.</p><p>He demanded a thorough investigation and justice for the victim’s family.</p><p>'Love jihad' is used by right-wing groups to allege a conspiracy by Muslim men to lure Hindu women into relationships and marriage to convert them to Islam.</p>