At peace meeting, Inam Veerapur elders say honour killing unfortunate

District administration officials convened a peace committee meeting in Inam Veerapur village near Hubballi on Monday, where in a case of honour killing a pregnant woman was killed by her family for marrying outside caste recently.

A team led by Deputy Commissioner Divya Prabhu G.R.J, Superintendent of Police Gunjan Arya and Social Welfare officers met the village elders.

The leaders agreed to forget the past and live in harmony in future. Members of the Doddamani family who suffered caste discrimination and attacks recently will be welcomed into the village and allowed to live in peace.

“People of various communities, including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Lingayat, Veerashaiva, Muslim, Kuruba, and others have been living in harmony for centuries. This was one unfortunate incident. We will not treat this as a problem facing the village. Let the law take its own course,” they said.

They also urged the Deputy Commissioner to take up some pending development works in the village.

The Deputy Commissioner said that the State government will provide due compensation, livelihood support and legal aid to the victims. She said that the State government will protect families from the deprived communities. Police will ensure victim and witness protection, she added.

She urged leaders to work together to ensure that such incidents do not recur.

Mr. Arya said that there is a need to live in harmony and follow the rule of law. He said that all stakeholders have to work to ensure that the victims gain enough confidence to live in peace.

The police will provide complete protection to the village, he said. “The victim’s family needs support at this crucial juncture. All of us need to stand with them,” he added.

At one point, there was an argument between two groups. But the police and senior officers pacified them.

Leaders of various associations Suresh Khanapur, Premnath Chikkatumbal, Paramesh Kale, Chandrashekar Yadger, Sridhar Kandagal, Kenchappa Mallammanavar, Shankargouda Patil, Gurusiddaiah Hiremath, Lalita Madli, Basavaraj Walikar, Renuka Huilgol, Shivanand Manakwad, Hanumant Walikar, Shivanand Mekar, Ramesh Madar and others spoke.

Officials of various departments were present.