Karnataka student’s murder: Mother of accused issues public apology
“[Neha] was also like my daughter. I am not differentiating...I know how [her family] must be grieving. I am equally sorrowful,” said Mumtaz Khondunaik
The mother of a Muslim youth, who allegedly murdered a young Hindu woman in Karnataka for spurning his advances, has apologised over the grisly crime that has triggered widespread protests.
"On behalf of my son, I seek forgiveness from all people of Karnataka. I seek forgiveness from the parents of the girl as well,” said a sobbing Mumtaz Khondunaik, after the murder of Neha Hiremath, 23.
“She (murdered woman) was also like my daughter. I am not differentiating here at all. I know how they must be grieving. I am equally sorrowful. What my son did is wrong. No matter who it is, what is done is wrong," she said.
The murder
Neha Hiremath, 23, a first-year student of Master of Computer Applications in Hubballi, was allegedly stabbed seven times by a former student, Fayaz Khondunaik, on Thursday (April 18) after she rejected his advances.
According to a police officer, Fayaz, who tried to escape after the murder but was chased and caught, confessed the two were in a relationship but she had been avoiding him of late.
The murder has triggered widespread street protests across Karnataka.
Victim’s father
What has upset Congress calculations is that the father of the victim is a Congress party corporator who has blamed “love jihad” for the horrific crime.
Niranjan Hiremath, the grieving father, said he has seen several other such incidents and he hopes that such a thing doesn't happen to anyone else.
Love Jihad?
"The youngsters are going astray… We have lost our daughter. This shouldn't happen to anyone else. That's our prayer. We have seen others suffering like this. I feel this problem of Love Jihad is spreading," he said.
He said a gang had conspired for a long time to either trap his daughter or execute her.
“They have been threatening her in that backdrop. However, the girl did not heed to their threats," Hiremath added.
Political slugfest
"The whole state and country witnessed what happened to my daughter. If they say that it is personal, what is personal in this? Are they my relatives?" he asked.
The murder has led to an ugly political row in Karnataka, with the main opposition BJP holding noisy street protests and the Congress accusing it of trying to topple its government.
BJP aggression
While the Congress tried to project it as an incident from a personal angle, the BJP said the murder reflects the deterioration of law and order in the state.
Union minister and the BJP’s Dharwad Lok Sabha candidate Pralhad Joshi suspected a love jihad angle behind the incident.
Alleging “a complete deterioration of law and order” in Karnataka, he urged chief minister Siddaramaiah to stop minority appeasement politics.
Congress defends
Home minister G Parameshwara denied a "love jihad" angle.
The Congress said that Karnataka has the best law and order and that the BJP was trying to impose Governor's rule in Karnataka by citing allegedly deteriorating law and order situation.
"The BJP is trying to threaten us... Karnataka has the best law and order... They want to tell voters that they're going to impose Governor's rule,” deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar said.
Student protests
Student activists allied to the BJP have also protested outside a police station in Hubballi shouting slogans.
Similar protests have erupted elsewhere, calling for severe punishment to the accused.
