A Lingayat man in Hubballi taluk is accused of beating his 20-year-old pregnant daughter to death for marrying a man from a Scheduled Caste community. The assault also left her husband’s parents injured.
The woman, identified as Manya Patil, succumbed to severe head injuries at a private hospital on Sunday, December 22. Her unborn child also did not survive. The attack took place at Inam Veerapura village under Hubballi Rural police limits.
According to Dharwad Superintendent of Police Gunjan Arya, Prakashgouda Patil and his relatives assaulted Manya at her husband’s residence using lethal weapons, including an axe and an iron sprinkler pipe.
The attack occurred around 6.30 pm, and she died roughly three hours later despite medical intervention. Her father-in-law and mother-in-law were also injured and are currently undergoing treatment.
Manya married Vivekananda, a man from the Madar caste and from the same village earlier this year. The two reportedly met as collegegoers and registered their marriage in Hubballi. The marriage had faced strong opposition from Manya’s family from the outset.
Following the wedding, police had intervened amid concerns over the couple’s safety and had summoned both families, warning them against harassment. Due to continued threats, Manya and her husband had moved out of the village and were living in Haveri. They returned to their native place on December 8, hoping that the pregnancy would help ease tensions and lead to reconciliation.
On Sunday, the accused allegedly first assaulted Vivekananda and his father while they were working in a field, before forcing their way into the house and attacking Manya and her in-laws. Manya’s father had previously assured the police that he would not interfere in the couple’s lives.
Senior police officials, including the Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner, visited the hospital following the incident, and security has been tightened in both the village and the medical facility as a precautionary measure.
Police have arrested three people in connection with the case, including Manya’s father, Prakash Patil, and two relatives, Iranna and Arun. An FIR has been registered at the Hubballi Rural police station against 15 people. Investigation is underway.