Karnataka Congress Councillor Demands CBI Probe Into Daughter’s Murder

Congress Councillor Niranjan Hiremath openly named eight individuals allegedly involved in the crime, expressing dismay over the Karnataka government’s failure to apprehend them in a sharp critique of his own party’s handling of his daughter’s murder case,

Neha Hiremath, a first-year Master of Computer Applications (MCA) student at KLE Technological University in Hubballi, was tragically killed by her former classmate Fayaz on campus earlier this month, prompting widespread condemnation and protests across the state.

Speaking with news agency ANI, the grieving father lamented the lack of progress in the investigation, stating, ““I am losing faith now. They are trying to divert my case. Give it to CBI if you cannot do it… The commissioner in this case is a lady, even then she is not taking a girl’s murder seriously… She is working under some pressure… I demand the commissioner should be transferred for negligence in the case… I demand that the case should be given to CBI.””

On Sunday, BJP National President JP Nadda voiced  Hiremath’s demand for a CBI investigation. He addressed the issue during a visit to Hiremath’s residence. Nadda condemned the Karnataka government for allegedly attempting to influence and divert the investigation to weaken the case.

“This is a shocking incident and we condemn it… CM Siddaramaiah’s and Home Minister G Parameshwara’s statements on this incident are objectionable. Their statements dilute the investigation. The people of Karnataka will not spare the current government for its appeasement politics. The state government should hand over the case to the CBI if the State Police is incapable of a fair probe. Hiremath has also demanded a CBI inquiry into the incident as he has less faith in the State police,” Nadda emphasized.

Neha’s murder case has been turned into a political debate and standoff between the state’s ruling party, Congress and the opposition BJP in Karnataka.The case is believed to have a serious impact on the current the election climate. While the Congress has described the muder as a “personal angle,” the BJP has, allegedly, labeled it to be “love jihad” and a repercussion of the deteriorating law and order in the state.

In response to the tragic incident, Muslim organizations have called for a ‘bandh’ on Monday, condemning Neha Hiremath’s murder in Hubballi. Dharwad-based Anjuman-e-Islam President Esmail Tamatgar announced that Muslim businessmen will observe a bandh from 10 am to 3 pm to express condolences and protest against the brutal incident.

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