They weren't lovers: Congress corporator on daughter's ties with killer

Karnataka Congress Corporator Niranjan Hiremath said his daughter, who was stabbed to death by a former classmate inside a college campus in Hubballi, was just friends with the accused and the two "were not lovers". He also said that his daughter rejected the perpetrator's proposals and warned him that she would file a complaint if he did not stop.

On Thursday, the accused Fayaz attacked Neha, a 23-year-old Masters of Computer Applications (MCA) student, inside the premises of the BVB College campus. CCTV footage of the incident captured Fayaz stabbing Neha multiple times before fleeing from the spot.

Fayaz has been arrested, and the police said the victim died of multiple stab wounds.

Speaking to a local TV channel, Hiremath said his daughter was “a very bold and a very brave girl”.

“She was only pursuing her education and did not have any relations with the accused. They were only friends while in college, not lovers,” the Congress corporator said.

He alleged that his daughter rejected and refused his proposals every single time that he made his advances.

“She told him earlier that she would file a complaint against him if he continued with his proposals.”

Previously as well, Hiremath had said that Fayaz “proposed to my daughter, but she rejected his proposal”.

“She did not like him, and she usually stayed away from all this... She refused his proposal, saying they both belonged to different castes and that she did not wish to have any relationship with him. Out of anger, he stabbed my daughter."

Meanwhile, the incident has led to a major political storm in Karnataka, with the opposition BJP and ruling Congress sparring over a 'love jihad' angle in the case.

"This is an unfortunate incident and I believe there is an angle of 'love jihad' in this. When the girl refused (the guy’s) advances, she was murdered. Under the Congress government, law and order is not there," Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said.

'Love jihad' is a phrase popularised by Hindutva organisations to denote the relationship between a Muslim man and a non-Muslim woman where the Muslim partner wishes to convert the non-Muslim.

The Karnataka government firmly rejected those allegations. State Home Minister G Parameshwara claimed that Neha and Fayaz were in a relationship before it soured.

Meanwhile, student group ABVP's workers blocked the roads and protested against Neha's murder, demanding the strictest punishment for the accused.

Pro-Hindu groups and BJP supporters also staged a protest.