Haveri, 14 Mar

A nurse’s death has sparked communal tensions in Karnataka after the postmortem confirmed it a murder, leading to the arrest of a man.

Former chief minister & BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai termed it a case of ‘love jihad’ alleging that such incidents have risen since the Congress government took office.

Swathi Byadagi, 22, was found dead near the Tungabhadra River in Fatehpur village.

She was a native of Masuru village in Rattihalli Taluk, Haveri district, and worked in Ranebennur.

Swathi went missing on 3 March, and her body was later found. Her family identified the remains.

After the postmortem confirmed it as a murder, police intensified the investigation and arrested Nayaz.

"Swathi and Nayaz were in a relationship, and he had promised to marry her. However, he began distancing himself after his marriage was arranged with another woman from his community," a senior police officer told PTI.

When Swathi threatened to expose him if he abandoned her, Nayaz allegedly plotted to kill her, he added.

"There are two more accused in the case—Durgachari and Vinayak. They lured her to the Tungabhadra River under a pretext and assisted Nayaz in murdering her," the senior police official said.

Durgachari and Vinayak have been absconding since the murder.

In a statement, BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai condemned the killing of Swathi Byadagi, alleging that a "Love Jihad" network is operating in the state and that such incidents are increasing due to a lack of fear among criminals.

"The ‘Love Jihad’ network has been active in the state recently. The rise in such crimes is due to the absence of fear among perpetrators," Bommai said.

He said only strict punishment for the guilty could curb such incidents.

"The police must act without succumbing to any pressure and take stringent action against those responsible, including those supporting such acts. However, the authorities often fail to handle such cases seriously, allowing them to fade from public memory," the former CM said.

He urged the state government to provide appropriate compensation to Swathi's family and ensure justice is served.

Bommai alleged that since the Congress government came to power in Karnataka, women’s safety has deteriorated.

"Shockingly, incidents of young women being deceived and murdered in the name of love are increasing."

He also recalled the Neha Hiremath murder case, stating that before her brutal killing in Hubballi could fade from public memory, another horrifying crime had taken place with the murder of Swathi Byadagi in Haveri district.

"Even a week after the incident, there appear to be efforts to protect the key accused, Nayaz. Reports indicate that Nayaz pretended to be in love with Swathi but later rejected her due to religious differences and decided to marry another woman from his faith. When Swathi confronted him, he allegedly killed her," Bommai claimed.

The term 'love jihad' has often been used by BJP and right-wing groups to claim that Muslim men lure Hindu women into relationships for religious conversion through marriage. However, in 2020, the Centre stated that no central agency has found evidence to support the existence of ‘love jihad’.