Neha Hiremath Murder Case: State Government Not Taking Action, Says Shobha Karandlaje

Hubballi: A day after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held protests condemning crime against women, including the murder of Neha Hiremath of Hubballi in Karnataka, the BJP Mahila Morcha staged a protest in Bengaluru today. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) also held protests today at the Bhoomaraddi College of Engineering and Technology aka BVB College at Hubballi, Dharwad, where Neha was brutally killed.

The nation is in a rage after the murder of Neha Hiremath, daughter of Niranjan Hiremath, Congress councillor of the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation, Karnataka. Neha, 23, was stabbed to death by Fayaz Khondunaik on the premises of the BVB College on April 18 where she was studying and he was an ex-student.

Political uproar after Neha Hiremath’s murder

After the murder incident, a political uproar ensued in the state, with a Love Jihad angle also being explored, as suggested by Neha’s parents. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had dismissed the Love Jihad claims in the incident.

BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje was present today in Bengaluru at the protests held by the Mahila Morcha. “The state government is not taking any action. The CM is only doing vote bank politics,” she said. 

Has Neha’s killer been arrested?

The accused has been arrested, and there is a demand for the strictest punishment for him. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Monday that the government will hand over the Neha murder case to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). He added that a special court will be set up for the case.

“I strongly condemn Neha's murder. We are forming a special court, and we have given the matter to COD (CID to investigate). Neha's father has spoken about involvement of four more suspects, I have asked for it also to be investigated," Siddaramaiah said.

CM Siddaramaiah spoke with Neha Hiremath's father on phone and offered condolences. Niranjan Hiremath reportedly apologised to the state government and the police for criticising them after facing the tragedy.