Karnataka Chief Minister (CM) Siddaramaiah, today, Tuesday, April 23, spoke to the father of Neha Hiremath, the student who was murdered last Thursday, over the phone and expressed his apologies to the deceased’s family.
As per a report by PTI, CM Siddaramaiah said "sorry" over the killing, and assured that the government “will be on your side".
The chief minister informed Niranjan Hiremath, the father of Neha Hiremath who is also a Congress councillor of Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation, about the government's decision to hand over the murder case to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and setting up a special court to fast-track trial.
"Niranjan, we are very sorry. We will be on your side," Siddaramaiah told Hiremath over the phone call during state's Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil's visit to Hiremath's house in Hubballi.
"It is a serious offence. We are setting up a special court and will ensure punishment for the accused person."
Hiremath thanked Siddaramaiah on behalf of his family well-wishers and the community for handing over the case to CID and setting up a special court, PTI added.
The incident
Neha Hiremath (23), was stabbed to death on the campus of BVB College last Thursday, April 18. The accused Fayaz Khondunaik, who fled from the scene, was arrested by the police subsequently.
Neha was a first-year Master of Computer Application (MCA) student and Fayaz was earlier her classmate.
Siddaramaih, on Monday, April 22, had announced his government has decided to hand over the investigation into the incident to the CID, and to set up a special court for speedy disposal of the case.
The case of a brutal murder, which sparked widespread outrage, has also caused a political slugfest between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP.
While the ruling party has tried to project it as an incident with a personal angle, the saffron party has called it a "love jihad" case and has said it's a testimony of the deterioration of law and order in the state.
Earlier, Siddarmaiah's statement that the murder was due to "personal reasons" and Home Minister G Parameshwara's comments that the duo was in love elicited sharp reactions from Hiremath and family members and opposition parties.
Later speaking to reporters, Hiremath apologised to the government, Congress leaders and police for his comments against them and said they were made due to a lack of information, amid grief.
"I was grieving my daughter's death. I have got to know about the efforts made by our party leaders in informing the facts about the incident to the government. The government too has responded to it immediately," he added.
"If anyone is hurt by my statements, no one should take it otherwise, as I spoke in grief, with lack of information. I have spoken against the government, I apologise," he said.
