(UPDATE) Love Jihad: Neha Hiremath Fatally Stabbed by College Peer Fayaz for Rebuffing Advances, Arrest Follows

Update: April 20, 2024

Niranjan Hiremath, a Congress leader in Karnataka, has publicly criticized his own party’s leaders for dismissing the religious motivations in the murder of his daughter, Neha Hiremath, insisting instead that it was a case of “Love Jihad.”

Neha (Hindu) was tragically killed by Fayaz (Muslim), a classmate and rejected suitor, who stabbed her multiple times on her college campus. This incident has led to considerable controversy and grief, particularly as some senior party members, including the Home Minister and the Chief Minister, have portrayed the murder as a personal dispute rather than a religiously motivated crime. They suggested the murder stemmed from a failed romantic relationship, leading to tensions within the party as Hiremath calls for recognition of the religious aspects he believes were central to his daughter’s death.

This case has not only devastated the Hiremath family but also ignited broader concerns about the phenomenon of Love Jihad and its impact on community safety and interfaith relations.

Read more here

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Update: April 19, 2024

Reportedly, Congress Corporator Niranjan Hiremath refused to name his daughter Neha Hiremath’s killer because he is Muslim. Many are saying that the father is protecting his daughter’s murderer just so that the Islamic vote bank does not get angry.

Police report that “During interrogation, the killer (Fayaz) claimed that he and the victim had been in a relationship and that she had suddenly started avoiding him. It needs to be corroborated and verified, but he was arrested immediately,” a senior police officer said.

Meanwhile, Neha’s father, Hiremath, speaking about the incident, said stringent punishment should be given to the accused, as only then will his daughter’s soul rest in peace. Hiremath demanded hanging for the accused.

“He (the accused) was an old student, and he had proposed to my daughter, but she rejected his proposal. She did not like him, and she usually stayed away from all this. She refused him, 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,” he told PTI videos.

Yesterday Md Fayaz kiIIed this Congress leader’s daughter for rejecting his proposal.
Forget being angry, he avoided taking his name just because he’s a MusIim. He says that an unknown person stabbed her.

I’m speechless… Congressis blinded in secularism don’t care about their… pic.twitter.com/jM6rFW6Yg9

— Mr Sinha (Modi’s family) (@MrSinha_) April 19, 2024

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Neha Hiremath, daughter of Congress Corporator Niranjan Hiremath, was brutally attacked at B V Bhoomaraddi College of Engineering and Technology in Hubballi, India. The 24-year-old Hindu MCA student was stabbed to death by Fayaz, a fellow student at the college. Fayaz, reportedly Muslim and hailing from Savadatti in the Belagavi district, had been relentlessly pressuring Neha to enter a relationship with him despite her repeated refusals.

The horrifying assault, being labeled as another “Love Jihad” attack, unfolded as Neha exited the college premises. Masked and armed with a knife, Fayaz confronted her and mercilessly stabbed her multiple times in the neck. CCTV footage captured the chilling act, showing Neha desperately trying to flee before being overpowered and fatally wounded. Despite the efforts of fellow students to rush her to KIMS Hospital, Neha succumbed to her injuries.

Fayaz, who had discontinued his studies after completing BCA alongside Neha, was apprehended by the police following a brief period on the run. His friends had reportedly been aware of his intentions to harm Neha, as he had vowed to ‘finish’ the girl who rejected him. The police investigation suggests a motive rooted in unrequited love, exacerbated by months of stalking and rejection.

Expressing shock and grief, City Police Commissioner Renuka K Sukumar confirmed that Neha and Fayaz had been classmates during their BCA studies. While Neha pursued further education, Fayaz’s fixation on her persisted, ultimately culminating in his deadly attack.

“Love Jihad” in India

Neha Hiremath, 24, the Hindu daughter of Congress Corporator Niranjan Hiremath, was stabbed to death in broad daylight by Fayaz at the prestigious B V Bhoomaraddi College of Engineering and Technology in Hubbali.

Fayaz was waiting for her to come out of… pic.twitter.com/DnAzaXmxVD

— Amy Mek (@AmyMek) April 18, 2024

In response to the attack, MLA Prasad Abbayya and other Congress leaders visited Neha’s family to offer condolences. At the same time, the city unit of ABVP staged a protest demanding justice for the victim. Despite the anguish and outrage, Neha’s family expressed unfamiliarity with Fayaz, indicating that she had never mentioned him.

There’s no end to this, is there? There’s just no end. There is no end to their bloodlust pic.twitter.com/funk1XUUgo

— Nupur J Sharma (@UnSubtleDesi) April 18, 2024

As investigations continue, the community mourns the loss of a promising young woman, and questions linger about the prevalence of such violence against women in educational institutions.