Kin kills 7-month pregnant woman for marrying Dalit

HUBBALLI: In a suspected case of honour killing, a 20-year-old pregnant woman was allegedly murdered by her family members in Inam Veerapur village of Karnataka's Dharwad district on Sunday for marrying a Dalit youth.

The woman's father and kin also allegedly assaulted members of the Dalit youth's family, spar-king protests. Manya Patil, who was seven months pregnant, had married Vivekanand Doddamani ea-rlier this year despite str-ong objections from her family. Police said Manya's father, Prakashgouda, along with relatives, allegedly assaulted her with pipes, causing severe head injuries. Police arrested her father and two other family members.

Condemning the killing, Dalit activists staged a sit-in with the woman's body.Dharwad SP Gunjan Arya said Manya, who belonged to the Lingayat community, had married Vivekanand, a Dalit, in May 2025 at a Hubballi rural police station, fearing a violent backlash from Manya's family. Despite attempts by police to counsel her parents, their opposition to the marriage continued.Police said Manya's family members also attacked Vivekanand's father, mother and other relatives.