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Karnataka: Pregnant teen killed in Hubballi over intercaste marriage, parents arrested
The woman was six months pregnant and had married a man from another caste against her family’s wishes.
A 19-year old-pregnant woman and her unborn child were killed on Sunday evening after the teen was attacked by her parents over her intercaste marriage in a village near Hubballi in Karnataka, the police said.
The woman, identified as Manya Doddimani, was six months pregnant and had married a man from another caste against her family’s wishes. Members of her family allegedly attacked her, her husband, and his relatives in Inam Veerapur village of Hubballi, leaving several people seriously injured.
Gunjan Arya, the superintendent of police of Dharwad district, said preliminary findings pointed to opposition from the woman’s family over the intercaste marriage. “Her parents attacked her husband and father-in-law who were working in the field and later attacked their daughter with sharp weapons at her house,” Arya said. “The woman and her 6-month-old unborn baby died in the hospital.”
Doctors at Vivekanand Hospital in Hubballi said Manya had sustained severe injuries to her head and abdomen. Despite treatment, both she and the unborn child succumbed to their injuries. The condition of the girl’s mother-in-law, Renava, and uncle remains critical, and are in the ICU.
A heavy police team has been deployed in the village and at the hospital. Senior officers, including police commissioner N Shashikumar, deputy superintendent of police Katagi, and inspector Muragesh Channannavar, visited the hospital to review the situation.
Addressing the media, Arya said Prakashgowda Patil, Veeranagowda Patil, and Arunagowda Patil had been taken into custody in connection with the case. “As a precautionary measure, action has also been initiated against 7-8 people. A case has been registered at the Grameen police station following the death of Manya,” Arya said.
According to the police, Manya had married Vivekanand Doddimani, a youth from another caste in the same village, in May this year, despite opposition from her family. Officials said they had earlier counselled both families and initiated preventive action, but added that “the exact motive behind the fatal attack will be ascertained after further investigation,” Arya said.
Police said the couple had married about 8 months ago and later moved to Haveri after facing threats from the woman’s family. They returned to Inam Veerapur on December 8. Shortly after their return, members of Manya’s family allegedly assaulted Vivekanand and his father while they were working in the fields, before going to the house and attacking Manya and other members of her husband’s family.
