YELLAPUR (UTTARA KANNADA): The man who stabbed an assistant cook to death at the Yellapur Government School was found hanging from a tree inside a forest near the town on Sunday. The murder that took place on Saturday has taken political overtones with the opposition BJP and Hindu organisations alleging love jihad.
The victim, Ranjitha Bonsade, a 31-year-old mother of a child from Kalammanagar area in Yellapur town, was stabbed to death by Rafique, who was from the same locality, on Saturday. She had been separated from her husband and was living with her parents for the last 10 years. It is said that Rafique was pestering Ranjitha to get married to him, but she had refused repeatedly. On Saturday, while she was returning home, Rafiq accosted her on the road and again proposed marriage to her. When she refused, he pulled out a knife and stabbed her in the neck.
Even as she lay wreathing in pain, the local residents tried to get an ambulance, but could not. An autorickshaw driver, Chandrashekar Bovi Vaddar, who is Ranjitha’s neighbour, saw her struggling for life and shifted her to a hospital, where she died. The police, who were searching for the accused, arrived with the canine squad and the dogs led them inside the forest where Rafique was found hanging. Soon after the incident, the town turned tense with BJP and Hindu organisations alleging love jihad.
BJP state president BY Vijayendra visited the victim’s family on Sunday and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh. Later, talking to the media, Vijayendra said he will take care of the education of Ranjita’s 10-year-old son.
“People have still not forgotten Neha Hiremath’s murder in Hubballi and this incident has occurred. Such crimes are recurring as Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara and others in the government are appeasing the minorities,” he alleged.
He said that the government announced Rs 25 lakh to the family of a Congress worker in Ballari soon after he was killed by a bullet injury, while no such help has been extended to the relatives of Ranjitha.