A storm of discontent and outrage has overtaken Karnataka following the horrifying murder of Neha Hiremath in Vidyanagar, Hubli. The public is clamoring for swift justice, linking the case to 'love jihad' and demanding answers. The accused Faiaz's mother denies any such notion. She ardently states that Neha and Faiaz shared a bond of love.
"On behalf of my son, I apologize to the people of Karnataka," expressed Faiaz's mother, Mumtaz. "I seek forgiveness from the girl’s parents. She was like my own daughter, and I share their grief. What my son has done is reprehensible, and he deserves to be punished. He left home five days ago (April 13), claiming he was tired of sitting idle and was going to look for a job. I only learned of the murder when someone called to tell me to turn on the television," Mumtaz recounted.
Mumtaz further added, "Neha was a kind-hearted girl. Faiaz and Neha were not just close friends; they were in love. I knew about their relationship for over a year. It wasn’t unrequited. My son was prepared to marry her. Yet, I had advised him to focus on his career first. He was a bright student, and so was Neha. I wanted them both to prepare for the IAS exams, but my son has brought us shame," she lamented.
Neha’s father, Niranjan Hiremath, a local councilor, has expressed satisfaction with the police’s actions but highlighted the terrifying possibility that if such an incident could occur in his family, the general public could also be at significant risk. The current Congress-led government in Karnataka is under scrutiny, as the victim’s father is also a member of the Congress party. This tangled web of personal and political is unveiling many layers of challenging questions for the state.
Source: aajtak
Let’s delve into the chronological events of this shocking crime...
At precisely 4:45 PM on April 18, 2024, at the BVB College in Hubli, Karnataka, exams were underway. 24-year-old MCA student Neha Hiremath, after battling typhoid for two months, attended the college for her exam. After completing her test and stepping outside, she spoke to her mother on the phone. Everything seemed normal until a few minutes later, a tragedy that shocked entire Karnataka unfolded.
The horrifying scene was captured by the college’s CCTV: a young man approached Neha soon after she finished talking to her mother on the phone. He tried to engage her in conversation, but Neha was not receptive and began retreating. In a sudden eruption of violence and rejection, the man pulled out a large knife and viciously attacked Neha. Rendered defenseless from her recent illness and overwhelmed by the attack, she didn’t stand a chance.
Neha fell to the ground, and the attacker, identified as her former BCA classmate Faiaz Kondikoppa, relentlessly stabbed her in the throat several times. She attempted to fend off the blows, but the assailant was unyielding. Before others present could fully take in the horror and react, he fled the scene. Fellow students gave chase and successfully apprehended him, handing him over to the police.
The attack sent ripples of horror throughout Hubli and beyond, igniting protests from Hubli to Bangalore and raising alarms about the state’s law and order. The Chief Minister of Karnataka had to clarify that the incident was motivated by personal issues, not indicative of a broader law and order problem.
According to police sources, the accused, originally from Savadatti in Belgaum district of Karnataka, had failed his exams six months prior, leading him to discontinue his college attendance. Yet, when Neha returned to college after her illness, Faiaz followed her and committed the heinous attack. The investigation suggests Faiaz was driven to a breaking point by his unrequited love for Neha, a narrative that has left many unsettled.
