It's Love-Jihad, Says Neha’s Father, Demands Arrest of Fayaz’s Parents for ‘Conversion Bid’

New Delhi: After Neha Hiremath was allegedly stabbed to death by her acquaintance inside BVB college campus on Thursday, her father Niranjan Hiremath has claimed that there is a complete collapse of law and order in Karnataka. He claimed that it was a case of ove-jihad, and the matter is bring brushed under the carpet. Nirajan Hiremath, while speaking exclusively to Republic, alleged that the state government is not giving a free hand to the Police.

Neha, the daughter of Congress Councillor of Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation Niranjan Hiremath, was stabbed to death by her former classmate Fayaz Khondunaik on the campus of BVB College on April 18.

Neha Hiremath was allegedly killed by her acquaintance inside BVB college campus on Thursday after she allegedly rejected his proposal. The deceased Neha (23) was a first-year MCA student, while the accused 23-year-old Fayaz, a BCA dropout, has been arrested in connection with the incident, police said, adding that both of them were batchmates during their BCA course. The entire incident was caught on CCTV camera.

Niranjan's ‘Love Jihad’ Charge 

“After what I have seen, this case has every symptoms of Love Jihad. This is not a simple case that the police can solve within few days...there are many people involved in this,” said Neha's father to Republic. He demanded a CBI probe in the case alleging that the state police were trying to “divert” the case under someone's direction. 

On the allegations of Love-Jihad, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah clarified that personal reasons were behind the murder while Parameshwara said there was no "love jihad" angle as alleged by the BJP.

Parents Provoked Him: Niranjan's Big Charge

Niranjan Hiremath alleged that Fayaz's father used to provoke him to convert Neha. He demanded to Police to invstigate Fayaz's parents as well, accusing them of forcing Neha to convert to Islam. " It has came to my knowledge that Fayaz's parents told their son to bring Neha or else kill her. I will file a complaint against Fayaz's parents on charges of provoking Neha to get converted to Islam," the Congress leader said.

He said that the family of the accused is spreading photos of Neha and Fayaz, adding that the photos "were taken at college functions."

Fayaz's mother had earlier sought forgiveness over her son's act. "On behalf of my son, I seek forgiveness from all people of Karnataka. I seek forgiveness from the parents of the girl as well. She is 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," Mumtaz, Fayaz's mother, said.

BJP Holds State-Wide Protest

As communal allegations were made, Siddaramaiah clarified that personal reasons were behind the murder while Parameshwara said there was no "love jihad" angle as alleged by the BJP.

The BJP unit of Karnataka is holding a state-wide protest over the case. On Sunday, BJP national president JP Nadda met Neha Hiremath's father Niranjan and offered condolences. J P Nadda also demanded a CBI probe into the murder of 23-year-old college student Neha Hiremath.

"If the state government wants, they can refer the case to CBI and BJP will cooperate so that this innocent girl gets justice, humanity gets justice and such incidents do not recur in future. Eeven her father has demanded for a CBI probe because he doesn't have faith in the state police and wants the investigation into the murder of his daughter to be transferred to the CBI," Nadda said.