Karnataka Honor Killing Case: Dalit Husband’s Anguish After Pregnant Wife’s Murder, Father Destroyed His Own Daughter’s World
Caste Pride Destroyed a Happy Family: Husband Vivekananda’s Painful Revelation After Pregnant Daughter’s Murder, Read the Full Story of the Hair-Raising Incident in Dharwad, Karnataka. New Delhi: “Manya’s father and my father were friends for a very long time,” Vivekananda Dhoddmani’s voice trembles as he says this. It is difficult for 22-year-old Dalit youth Vivekananda to understand how the wall of caste became so high that a father took the life of his own 20-year-old pregnant daughter. Two weeks have passed since this heartbreaking incident, but the question remains the same. Everything was fine until the friendship, but as soon as Vivekananda and Manya got married and crossed social boundaries, things changed. Speaking to the Indian Express with teary eyes, Vivekananda says, “I had a dream that perhaps one day my child would play in Manya’s father’s lap. I never imagined that the poison of caste would blind a father to such an extent that he would become his daughter’s murderer.” An Incident That Shook the Entire State Incidents of caste violence or ‘honor killings’ have occurred in Karnataka before, but the brutality with which pregnant Manya was murdered has shaken the entire state. While Dalit organizations have protested against it, Lingayat groups have also strongly condemned it and observed a ‘Repentance Day’. Currently, Manya’s father Prakashgouda Patil and his relatives Veerangouda Patil and Arunagouda Patil are in police custody. They have been booked under charges of murder and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Government and Administration Take Strict Action Considering the seriousness of the case, on January 4, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that a fast-track court and a special public prosecutor would be appointed to hear the case so that the victim gets justice as soon as possible. He also said that his government would consider bringing in special legislation to curb evil practices like ‘honor killings’. In Inam Veerapur village in Dharwad district, where both Vivekananda and Manya lived, the administration has increased security. Dharwad SP Gunjan Arya said that eight CCTV cameras have been installed for surveillance at the police station level. Vivekananda and his family have been provided with 24-hour security. To maintain peace in the village, the police have held meetings with the villagers and are also taking the help of local religious leaders. The love story that ended tragically Vivekananda, a final-year BA student, says that he and Manya met three years ago when Manya was in pre-university. At the time of the murder, she was an engineering student. Inam Veerapur is a small village with about a hundred houses. Here, 60% of the population belongs to the Lingayat community, while 25% are from the ST (Talwar group). There are only six houses belonging to the Dalit Madiga community, to which Vivekananda belongs. Being from the same village, they knew each other since childhood, and their families were also acquainted. Vivekananda said that when he expressed his love, Manya accepted it, but due to the circumstances in the village, they could not meet often. Elopement and police negligence A year ago, when Manya’s father got wind of their relationship, restrictions began. Manya’s family wanted her to marry someone else. Fed up with the harassment, Manya decided to leave home. The couple eloped, got married in a temple, and registered their marriage. When Manya’s father filed a missing person report, the couple appeared before the police and stated that they had married of their own free will. Vivekananda recalls that Manya’s father had also threatened them at the police station, but he thought it was said in anger and that everything would be fine with time. Two constables from the Hubli Rural Police Station have been suspended following Manya’s murder. SP Arya acknowledged that there was negligence on the part of the police and that they should have anticipated the possibility of an attack. The ‘Dark Evening’ and the Unfinished Exam After the marriage, fearing threats, the couple started living at a relative’s house in Haveri city. Vivekananda started working at a shop. He says those were some of the happiest days of their married life. Manya was very happy, but even the news of her pregnancy did not soften her family’s hearts. On December 21, when this heartbreaking incident occurred, they had come to the village to update their Aadhaar cards. The hospital had advised that Manya’s records should include her husband’s name. Besides, Vivekananda had to take the Railway Recruitment Board’s ‘Group D’ exam in Dharwad the next day. Around 5 PM, when Manya was at Vivekananda’s parents’ house, Prakashgouda Patil and his relatives attacked. Vivekananda was not there at the time. When he returned, he saw the attackers assaulting Manya and his parents. Vivekananda was chased away, but by then, the father had taken his daughter’s life. Vivekananda’s parents were also injured in the attack and had to spend two days in the hospital. Irony: The very tradition they followed took their lives The greatest irony in this entire incident is that Vivekananda’s family followed the Lingayat traditions. Vivekananda says, “I was given Linga initiation in my childhood. We follow the principles of Basavanna (the founder of Lingayat beliefs), and we don’t even cook non-vegetarian food at home.” Despite this, caste pride destroyed a happy family. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News
Dalit woman raped after being lured with marriage promise: Physically abused for three years, police arrest the accused
A case of rape has come to light in the Manikpur police station area of Pratapgarh, where a Dalit woman was raped after being lured with a promise of marriage. A case was registered three years later, after which the absconding accused, Adarsh Singh, was arrested by the police. Adarsh Singh, a resident of Miria village, frequently visited his relative’s shop. During this time, he met a Dalit woman who worked at the shop. Gradually, their conversations increased, and the accused trapped the woman in a love affair, promising to marry her. It is alleged that Adarsh Singh physically exploited the woman for about three years under the pretext of marriage. When the woman pressured him to marry her, the accused refused, citing that it was an inter-caste marriage. Following this, the victim filed a complaint at the Manikpur police station regarding the incident. Based on the complaint, the police registered a case against the accused, Adarsh Singh, under various serious sections, including rape and the SC/ST Act. The accused had been absconding since the case was registered. A police team led by Sub-Inspector Amarnath Singh took action and arrested the absconding accused, Adarsh Singh, near the Upper Primary School in Khamsara. After the arrest, the accused was brought to the police station for questioning, and after legal proceedings, he was produced before the court. The police said that a fair investigation of the case will be conducted, and further action will be taken. Manu Kumar Singh | Pratapgarh Courtesy: Hindi News
Attempted abduction of Dalit teenager in Meerut: Mother attacked with a sharp weapon for resisting, condition critical
An attempt was made to abduct a minor Dalit girl in the Sardhana police station area of Meerut on Thursday morning. When the girl’s mother resisted, she was attacked with a sharp weapon, leaving her seriously injured. She has been admitted to a private hospital in Meerut, where her condition remains critical. According to the victim’s family, the incident occurred around 8 am on Thursday. The woman was going to the fields with her 17-year-old daughter to cut sugarcane. Near the canal, some young men from the same village stopped them. It is alleged that the youths misbehaved with the mother and daughter, and when they resisted, they started verbally abusing and assaulting them. It is alleged that the accused used casteist slurs and attacked the woman on the head with an axe. The woman was seriously injured in the attack and fell unconscious on the spot. After this, the accused abducted the minor girl and fled the scene. Upon receiving information about the incident, family members and villagers reached the spot. They admitted the injured woman to the hospital. The woman’s condition remains critical in the hospital. Based on the complaint filed by the victim’s family, the police have started an investigation into the matter. CO Ashutosh Kumar said that a case has been registered based on the complaint. The search for the accused is underway, and they will be arrested soon. Ajay Kumar | Sardhana, Meerut Courtesy: Hindi News
Samajwadi Party leader says Yadavs are not Hindus, triggers row
He alleged that the current BJP-led central government has organised the most atrocities against Dalits. New Delhi: Samajwadi Party leader Shivraj Singh Yadav sparked controversy with his “Yadavs are not Hindus” comment as he slammed the caste system and criticised how it puts Shudras at the bottom of the hierarchy. He rejected the Hindu identity due to the caste-based discrimination in Hindu texts, citing the scripture, Manusmriti. “I do not follow a religion that treats a human being as lower than a dog,” he said. Yadav, a close aide of Akhilesh Yadav, was addressing a public meeting called “PDA Patshala” in the Dandiyamai village of Sirsaganj Assembly Constituency in Uttar Pradesh, an event for Dalits, backward classes, and minorities. “Brahmin, we are not. Kshatriya, we are not. Vaishya, we are not. Now, which one is left? Shudra.” “So if we are Hindus, I’m just saying, because being Hindu is not mandatory. Like I say on every platform, I am not Hindu. I am Shivraj Singh Yadav, and I am a human. I am not Hindu. Because the religion that makes a human lower than a dog, I don’t follow that religion at all, never,” he added. Yadav alleged that the current BJP-led central government has organised the most atrocities against Dalits and backward classes. He further explained the PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) concept, stating that nearly 90 per cent of the population, which is comprised of Dalits, backward classes and minorities, are constantly overpowered and excluded, while a small group controls the system. Several leaders from the Yadav community have publicly distanced themselves from the Hindu identity, different to the Dalits themselves, who reject the religion through conversions to Buddhism, Christianity or Islam. The socialist party is known for accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of being anti-Dalit and anti-backwards class, with Akhilesh Yadav also claiming that there has been an apparent rise in atrocities under the government. Meanwhile, BJP Andhra Pradesh spokesperson Dr Vinusha Reddy accused Yadav of taking part in identity politics “to break Hindu unity.” He said that the party’s remarks showed where its vote bank is, for which the party “would do anything.” Shivraj Singh Yadav later issued a clarification, denying that he said he was not a Hindu, and said the virality of the comment was a “BJP conspiracy.” “I never said that I am Yadav but not a Hindu. I will take them (the BJP) to court in this matter. The viral video is part of BJP’s conspiracy. When BJP sees that its secrets are being exposed, they resort to such tactics to set a narrative like this…” Courtesy : Telangana Today Note: This news is originally published on https:/telanganatoday.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Man jailed for life for rape of dalit girl
Trichy: A 35-year-old man was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Trichy mahila court on Tuesday for the abduction and sexual assault of a six-year-old dalit girl on Jan 31, 2021. M Neerkathalingam, from Trichy district, abducted the girl playing near her home and sexually assaulted her. The chargesheet was filed on April 2, 2021. Following a trial, sessions judge D Shanmugapriya pronounced the sentence. Neerkathalingam received life imprisonment under the Pocso Act with a fine of Rs 2,000 and another life term under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act with a fine of Rs 1,000, alongside 10 years rigorous imprisonment under IPC Section 366 (kidnapping) and one year under Section 342 (wrongful confinement), each with fine of Rs 1,000. The court ruled that all sentences be served concurrently. Trichy police commissioner N Kamini praised the Fort police team for the investigation leading to the conviction. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dalit, tribal women in Delhi commemorate Savitribai Phule, reiterate education and dignity
A series of community-based events marking the Jayanti of Savitribai Phule were organised across working-class and marginalised neighbourhoods of Delhi in December 2025 and early January 2026 by the Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch (DASAM) and its women’s collective, Mahila Kaamkaji Manch (MKM). The commemorations sought to move beyond symbolic observance and instead create spaces for dialogue, reflection and collective resistance, foregrounding education as a question of rights, dignity and social transformation. Savitribai Phule, widely recognised as India’s first woman teacher and a pioneering social reformer, was remembered for her role in challenging caste oppression, patriarchy and social exclusion through education. Organisers highlighted that at a time when educating girls and oppressed communities was considered an act of defiance, Phule’s work asserted education as a fundamental right rather than an act of charity, and as a pathway to liberation. The programme began on December 21 in Khichdipur and continued across several slum clusters and informal settlements in the capital. These neighbourhoods, while facing chronic issues such as displacement, inadequate civic services and structural exclusion, were described by organisers as sites of collective strength and grassroots organising. One of the key gatherings was held on December 28 at Naraina Pahari in New Delhi, where Dalit and tribal women from different generations came together to reflect on Savitribai Phule’s life, her struggles and her enduring relevance to their own lived experiences. During the interactions, women spoke about how Phule’s courage resonated with their daily efforts to educate their children, particularly daughters, despite poverty, discrimination and systemic barriers. Young girls shared that learning about her life strengthened their belief that education could challenge injustice and affirm self-respect and dignity. Participants also spoke at length about the harsh conditions they confront, including the absence of adequate housing and sanitation, limited access to quality education, high school dropout rates, severe financial constraints that force families to prioritise survival over schooling, demands for bribes in employment, acute water shortages, lack of toilets affecting women’s safety, unsafe working conditions without job or social security, and extremely low wages. Women further highlighted how extreme weather conditions exacerbate their struggles, with inadequate housing making summers unbearable and winters harsh. Frequent illnesses among children, including dengue, malaria, seasonal fevers and respiratory infections, were cited as an additional burden on families already struggling to survive. The organisers noted that through these events they interacted with thousands of Dalit and tribal women employed as domestic workers, sanitation workers, sweepers, cooks, construction workers and other informal sector labourers, who face multiple and intersecting forms of marginalisation based on gender, caste and class. A significant aspect of the commemorations was the public honouring of women and girls from these communities, which organisers said was a deliberate attempt to affirm girls’ education, self-worth and collective responsibility. The gesture challenged entrenched social attitudes that view daughters as a burden, instead recognising them as bearers of hope and social change. The series of events concluded on January 4, 2026, at Kusum Pur Pahari, where the occasion was marked with the participation of women, children and youth from the Dalit settlement. According to DASAM, the commemorations were intended not only to remember Savitribai Phule but to actively carry forward her legacy by strengthening collective organising and ensuring that the voices of working-class women are heard. The organisers said the gatherings reaffirmed the vision of education as a tool for liberation and as a means to challenge caste, gender and class oppression. By A Representative Courtesy : Counterview Note: This news is originally published on https:/counterview.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Identity crisis leaves Telangana Dalit migrant languishing in UAE jail
A Telangana man from a Dalit community has been jailed in the UAE for illegal stay and is struggling to prove his Indian nationality due to lack of documents. His family has approached authorities seeking help to bring him home. Dubai : A poor man hailing from the Dalit community in Telangana has been languishing in jail in the Gulf, struggling to prove that he is an Indian national in order to return home and reunite with his family after nearly two decades. Mandula Rajanna (59), a native of Madhapur village in Soan mandal of Nirmal district, came to the UAE in 2007 to work for a construction company. A year later, he ran away from the company and became an illegal resident in the country. Illiterate and belonging to a Scheduled Caste, Rajanna, who hails from a remote village in the erstwhile Adilabad district, is facing a difficult task in establishing his nationality to make his way back home. Neither Rajanna nor his family possesses a copy of his passport. His name does not figure in the voter list. When he left India 18 years ago, Aadhaar was not mandatory and many vulnerable people in rural areas were not registered. Having never attended school, he has no educational records, and the absence of voter identity documents has further complicated efforts to prove his Indian citizenship. According to Rajanna, there was no biometric registration when he landed in Sharjah in 2007. His passport was taken into possession by the company that employed him, a common practice at the time. After he fled the firm and it later shut down, there was no trace of either the original passport or a copy. Debt-ridden and a father of two, Rajanna had borrowed money under the Gulf gold loan system, which was popular in Telangana, where youth pledged gold in tolas and were required to return a higher weight as interest. Rajanna borrowed four tolas of gold and was required to repay six tolas. Owing to employment difficulties, he failed to clear the loan on time and continued to stay in the UAE illegally. Although the UAE authorities announced several amnesty schemes allowing foreigners to leave the country voluntarily without punitive action, Rajanna did not avail himself of them. After years of toiling in deserts and doing odd jobs, he eventually cleared his debt. In the meantime, his children, Nitish and Nikhita, grew up. Rajanna was later arrested for illegal stay. Officials from the Indian Embassy visited him at the detention centre but asked him to submit a passport copy or other relevant documents, which he was unable to provide. His wife, Laxmi, has approached the Chief Minister’s grievances cell in Hyderabad and the District Collector in Nirmal, seeking assistance in proving her husband’s Indian nationality. The only document the family possesses is a photo passbook of a bank account in Rajanna’s name. Courtesy : Telangana Today Note: This news is originally published on https:/telanganatoday.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dalit groups hold silent protest rally condemning honour killing
Hubballi: Members and functionaries of Dalit organisations, and seers of various mutts held a silent protest in Hubballi on Monday, condemning the honour killing of Manya Patil in Inam Veerapur village of the taluk. They marched from Siddharoodha Math to Dr BR Ambedkar Circle with black bands on their hands and displayed placards condemning Manya’s murder. Hundreds of organisation leaders and members participated. They held a meeting at Ambedkar Circle, demanded that the guilty be punished, and submitted a petition to the tahsildar’s office staff. “All communities must condemn the murder unanimously. Such acts will stop only when people are educated and cultured,” opined Basavananda Swamiji of Rudrakshi Math. Shadakshari Swamiji of Adijambava Math in Hiriyur, former MLA Veerabhadrappa Halaharavi, Siddheshwar Swamiji of Koppal, leader Vijaya Guntral, and others addressed the gathering. Community leaders from Vijayapura, Yadgir, and Gadag districts also participated in the protest march. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dalits’ body stages dharna at DAC over MGNREGA workers’ pending demands
The district unit of the Dalit Dastan Virodhi Andolan (DDVA) staged a dharna in front of the District Administrative Complex (DAC) here on Monday. They were highlighting the pending demands of MGNREGA workers. The union also submitted a memorandum of demands to the Deputy Commissioner. Workers, including women, from various villages across the district participated in the dharna. Addressing the gathering, Ranjit Singh Shakri, district president of the DDVA, said the state government had failed to provide compensation to people whose houses collapsed during the floods. He said the DDVA had submitted applications of 336 flood-affected families from different villages, but officials flatly refused to accept them. He further stated that while the Union Government claims to provide 150 days of employment annually under NREGA, workers are not being provided even 100 days of work. He demanded that unemployment allowance be paid to workers who are denied employment. Union leaders Aroor Singh, Joga Singh, Hira Singh, Amandeep Kaur, Kuldeep Singh Kirian, Gurnam Singh Chamba and Nirmal Singh Narli, among others, addressed the gathering. The leaders condemned the replacement of MGNREGA with VB-G RAM G. They alleged that ruling party leaders in villages were using the NREGA scheme as a political weapon, depriving people with opposing views of employment under the MGNREGA scheme. Courtesy : The Tribune Note: This news is originally published on https:/thetribune.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Three booked for hurling caste abuses, assaulting Dalit hotel owner in TN’s Dharmapuri
After Sampathkumar stated he was from Annal Nagar in Harur, Velmurugan allegedly hurled caste abuses and attacked Sampathkumar with a broomstick handle. DHARMAPURI: Two persons were arrested by the Morappur police under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for attacking a 62-year-old SC man on Saturday. Police are on the lookout for one other suspect involved. On Saturday, the victim — A Sampathkumar (62), a retired TNSTC bus driver who currently works in a spinning mill near Tiruppur — had gone to a hotel on the Dharmapuri-Morappur Road for dinner. Sampathkumar asked the hotel proprietor, B Velmurugan (47), if idlis were available. When Velmurugan said only one idli was available, Sampathkumar asked how so, as it was only 7:30 pm. Velmurugan then questioned Sampathkumar about his nativity. After Sampathkumar stated he was from Annal Nagar in Harur, Velmurugan allegedly hurled caste abuses and attacked Sampathkumar with a broomstick handle. K Ramalingam (48) and M Settu (45) also pushed Sampathkumar and attacked him. Sampathkumar then sought treatment at Morappur primary health centre (PHC) and later admitted to the Harur government hospital for treatment. He then reported the incident to Morappur police, who register a case against the three caste Hindus under sections of the BNS and SC/ST (POA) Act. Meanwhile, Velmurugan’s wife, V Lakshmi (37), also registered a complaint against Sampathkumar. She stated in her petition that Sampathkumar arrived inebriated and refused to pay for the food he ate and verbally abused her. Further, she also claimed that she was attacked and Velmurugan had defended her and urged the police to take action against Sampathkumar. Morappur police also registered a case against Sampathkumar. On Sunday, police arrested Velmurugan and Ramalingam, and the duo was remanded. Police are searching for Settu, who is absconding. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights