A 30-year-old Dalit woman was stabbed to death in broad daylight on a public road in Yellapur town of Uttara Kannada district on Saturday, allegedly by a man known to her, police said. The accused was later found dead, hanging from a tree in a nearby forest, triggering tension in the town and calls for a bandh by right-wing groups.
The victim has been identified as Ranjitha Bhanasode (30), a resident of Kalamma Nagar in Yellapur. She was attacked on Saturday afternoon while returning home from work. The accused, identified as Rafique Imamsab, also lived in the same locality and had known her since their school days.
According to The Times of India, preliminary investigations suggest that the accused had been pressuring Ranjitha to marry him and attacked her with a knife after she refused. Police said the assault took place on a public road, causing panic among locals.
Ranjitha was married to 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. Police said the accused frequently visited her home for meals, but tensions escalated when he began insisting on marriage, which she and her family opposed.
Following the murder, protests broke out outside the Yellapur police station, with residents and Hindutva groups alleging a delay in arresting the accused. Several organisations called for a Yellapur bandh on Sunday, describing the killing as a case of “Love Jihad”.
Meanwhile, the body of the accused, as per the report by TOI, was found hanging from a tree in a forested area near Yellapur on Sunday. Police said further investigation is underway to ascertain the sequence of events leading to his death.
“It’s a 100 per cent case of Love Jihad where single women, widows or divorcees are targeted,” Sri Ram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik claimed. BJP state president B Y Vijayendra is expected to visit the victim’s family.
In view of the heightened tension, police have deployed additional forces and tightened security across Yellapur.
