The vicious killing of a female student within the premises of a private college in Hubballi by one of her classmates has stirred unrest in the Hubballi-Belgaum area. Women’s organizations in Belgaum organized a massive protest on Monday, calling for the capital punishment of the young man currently under judicial detention.
Neha Hiremath, a 23-year-old Master of Computer Applications (MCA) student, was fatally stabbed by her former classmate Fayaz Khondunaik on the premises of BVB College in Hubballi on April 18. The assault was captured on CCTV cameras. Fayaz was apprehended subsequently, triggering a dispute between the BJP and Congress over Neha’s demise. Amid widespread demonstrations throughout Karnataka denouncing the incident, numerous women’s groups congregated in significant numbers to conduct a sizable protest march.
The protesters insisted on either awarding the death penalty to the perpetrator or handing him over to organizations. They claimed that the lives of numerous young women, including Neha Hiremath, are currently at risk, and criticized the Karnataka government for its failure to safeguard women in the state. The march commenced from Dharamveer Sambhaji Chowk and concluded at Channamma Chowk, proceeding along College Road.
During the event, multiple organizations submitted a petition to the government via the district collector. While certain groups have called for refraining from politicizing the matter amidst the ongoing parliamentary election campaigns, the incident has become a focal point for the BJP to target the Congress, which finds itself in a quandary over the issue.
