Hindu woman murdered for refusing marriage proposal in Uttara Kannada; accused absconding

Karwar : In a shocking incident, a woman was brutally murdered allegedly for refusing to marry a man who had been in a relationship with her, in Yellapur town of Uttara Kannada district on Saturday. The deceased has been identified as Ranjitha, a resident of Yellapur, police said.

According to the police, the accused, identified as Rafiq, had been in a relationship with Ranjitha for the past few years. Ranjitha had gone through a divorce nearly a decade ago and had a child. She was living with her parents and brother in Yellapur and was working as a midday meal assistant at a government school.

Police said Ranjitha and Rafiq became close a few months after her divorce, and their friendship eventually turned into a romantic relationship. The families of both sides were reportedly on good terms, and locals said Rafiq frequently visited Ranjitha’s house and even shared meals with the family.

However, tensions arose in recent months after Rafiq allegedly began pressuring Ranjitha to marry him. Ranjitha had reportedly made her position clear, stating that she did not wish to marry again after her previous experience. She had told him that while she was willing to continue their relationship, marriage was not an option.

On the day of the incident, Ranjitha was returning home after work when Rafiq allegedly intercepted her on the road and once again questioned her about marriage. When she firmly refused, an argument broke out. In a fit of rage, Rafiq allegedly stabbed her multiple times with a knife in the middle of the road and fled the scene.

Ranjitha sustained critical injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital. However, she succumbed to her injuries despite treatment, police said.

The incident has been registered at the Yellapur police station. Police teams have launched a manhunt to trace and arrest the accused, who is currently absconding. Further investigation is underway.