Muslim outfits to observe bandh on Apr 22 condemning Neha Hiremath murder

Dharwad (Karnataka): Muslim organisations here have given a call for a ‘bandh’ (strike) on Monday, condemning the murder of 23-year-old college student Neha Hiremath in Hubballi recently.

Dharwad based Anjuman-e-Islam president Esmail Tamatgar said all the businessmen from Muslim community will observe bandh from 10 am to 3 pm tomorrow to offer their condolence to the departed soul and protest the brutal incident. “Tomorrow we will observe bandh.

Chicken shops, garage workshops, fruit vendors, banks, institutions will remain closed to condole the death and show our solidarity with the family. We will put up ‘Justice for Neha’ stickers at our shops,” Tamatgar said. He added that a rally will also be taken out.

“The protest is to send across a message that never such incidents should occur to any girl child. We condemn this incident,” Tamatgar said. Neha Hiremath (23), daughter of Congress Councillor of Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation Niranjan Hiremath, was allegedly stabbed to death on the campus of BVB College on April 18.

The accused Fayaz was arrested by police subsequently. Neha was a first year MCA student and Fayaz was earlier her classmate. The incident triggered a public outrage with protests in Hubballi, Dharwad and several other places.

The BJP accused the Congress government of being soft on anti-social elements, which resulted in this incident as the ruling party tried to project it as an incident with a personal angle.