Karnataka: Dalit woman stabbed to death in Yellapur, accused found dead in forest; Hindu outfits call for bandh

KAWAR: A 30-year-old Dalit woman was stabbed to death on a public road in Yellapur town of Uttara Kannada district on Saturday, allegedly by a man known to her, police said.The accused, identified as Rafique Imamsab, was later found dead on Sunday. His body was discovered hanging from a tree in a forest near Yellapur, police said.The killing has led to tension in the town, with several Hindu organisations calling for a Yellapur bandh on Sunday. They described the murder as a case of “Love Jihad”.The woman has been identified as Ranjitha Bhanasode (30), a resident of Kalamma Nagar in Yellapur. The accused, Rafiq, also lived in the same locality. Police said the two had known each other since their school days.“Preliminary investigation suggests that the accused was pressuring the woman to marry him. After she refused, he allegedly attacked her with a knife in public,” a police officer said.The attack took place on Saturday afternoon when Ranjitha was returning home from work.Police said Ranjitha had married Sachin Katera from Solapur in Maharashtra around 12 years ago and had a 10-year-old son. She had been living separately and was staying with her family in Yellapur. She worked as a mid-day meal helper at a government school.According to police, the accused frequently visited her house for meals. The situation worsened when he began insisting on marriage, which Ranjitha and her family opposed.After the murder, local residents and Hindutva activists staged a protest outside the Yellapur police station, alleging delay in the arrest of the accused. They warned that protests would continue until action was taken.Meanwhile, Rafiq was found hanging from a tree in a nearby forest.“It’s a 100 per cent case of Love Jihad where single women, widows or divorcee are targeted,” Sri Ram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik said. BJP state president B Y Vijayendra is expected to meet Ranjitha’s family on Sunday.In view of the situation, police have deployed additional personnel and tightened security in and around Yellapur.