Karnataka is considering a stringent law, possibly to be named after 20-year-old Manya Patil, to curb caste killings, following her brutal murder in Inamveerpur village of Hubballi in December 2025. Manya, who was seven months pregnant, died after being allegedly attacked by her family for marrying outside her caste.
Social Welfare Minister HC Mahadevappa, who met the family of Manya’s husband, Vivekananda Doddamani, on Thursday, January 1 said the government would examine the possibility of introducing a tough legal framework in the upcoming legislative session. He said he would discuss the proposal with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister G Parameshwara, along with measures to ensure security for the Doddamani family.
Reiterating that an adult woman has the constitutional right to choose her partner, Mahadevappa said the government “will not tolerate attempts to suppress such rights.” He added that not only the attackers but also those who supported or abetted the crime would face strict action.
The minister said compensation under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act had been released to the family, and a cheque for Rs 17 lakh was handed over. Allegations of negligence by officials in the social welfare department would also be probed, he added, promising disciplinary action if lapses were found.
Mahadevappa later visited Vivekananda Hospital in Hubballi to review the treatment of Renavva Doddamani, Manya’s mother-in-law, who was injured in the assault.
According to police, Manya, a Lingayat woman, married Dalit man Vivekananda Doddamani on June 19 last year at the Hubballi registrar’s office. The couple moved to Haveri after their wedding but returned to their village on December 8, believing her pregnancy would ease tensions.
On December 21, Manya’s father, Prakash Gowda Patil, and other relatives allegedly stormed the couple’s home and assaulted her. She sustained grievous injuries and died in a Hubballi hospital. Police have arrested her father and two others in connection with the murder.
In Bengaluru, Home Minister Parameshwara expressed reservations about the need for a separate law, stating that caste killings stem from deep-rooted social attitudes rather than legislative gaps. Inter-caste marriages are not new, he said, adding that such crimes point to a need for greater awareness and social reform. He assured that the investigation in the case would be completed swiftly.