Dharwad ‘honour’ killing: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah announces fast-track court, new legislation

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah. (File Photo)

Following the recent ‘honour’ killing of a 20-year-old pregnant woman for marrying a Dalit man in Dharwad district, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah Sunday said that the government will take steps to establish a fast-track court for a speedy trial in the case. He also announced that a Bill will be introduced in the upcoming session of the legislature to curb such crimes.

The incident took place on December 21, seven months after the victim got married. Her father and two relatives attacked her when she was working in a field at Inam Veerapur village in Dharwad district. The victim, Manya Patil, hailed from the Lingayat community.

CM Siddaramaiah said in a post on X, “In connection with the dishonorable killing of a young woman named Manya from Inam Veerapur in Hubballi taluk, our priority is to take up the case for speedy trial and to ensure justice for the victim. Accordingly, the government will take steps to establish a fast-track court. Here, a case has been registered on charges of murder and atrocities against Dalits. Since this is an atrocity case, a charge sheet must be filed within 60 days. Therefore, steps have been taken to appoint a private prosecutor.”

ಹುಬ್ಬಳ್ಳಿ ತಾಲ್ಲೂಕಿನ ಇನಾಂ ವೀರಾಪುರದ ಮಾನ್ಯ ಎಂಬ ಯುವತಿಯ ಮರ್ಯಾದಾಗೇಡು ಹತ್ಯೆಗೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಿಸಿದಂತೆ ಪ್ರಕರಣದ ತ್ವರಿತ ವಿಚಾರಣೆ ನಡೆದು, ಸಂತ್ರಸ್ತರಿಗೆ ನ್ಯಾಯ ದೊರಕಿಸಿಕೊಡುವುದು ನಮ್ಮ ಪ್ರಮುಖ ಆದ್ಯತೆ. ಈ ಹಿನ್ನೆಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ತ್ವರಿತಗತಿ ನ್ಯಾಯಾಲಯ ರಚನೆಗೆ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಕ್ರಮ ಕೈಗೊಳ್ಳಲಿದೆ.

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) January 4, 2026

Forcing a woman into marriage against her will or denying her marriage wishes, caste-based violence, and such killings are heinous acts that bring shame to the entire human society, the CM added.

Patil’s was among the three cases of honour killings reported in Karnataka last year. In April 2025, a teenage girl from the Kuruba community was killed by her father in Raichur after she eloped with a boy from the SC community. In September, 18-year old Kavita, a Lingayat, was killed by her father over her relationship with a boy from the Kuruba community.