Daijiworld Media Network – Haveri

Haveri, Mar 17: Hindu activists and nursing students staged a protest in Ranebennur on Monday, demanding justice for Swati Ramesh Byadgi, a nurse who was allegedly murdered by three men on March 3.

The protesters, including students from nursing and pharmacy colleges, called for the death penalty for the accused and raised slogans seeking justice. Shops and establishments in Masur, Swati’s native village, remained closed as part of a bandh condemning the incident.

Swati had gone missing on March 3, and her body was recovered from the Tungabhadra river on March 6. Investigations revealed that she had been strangled to death before being dumped into the river. The police have arrested three persons in connection with the crime.

According to the police, Swati was in a relationship with one of the accused, who later distanced himself from her after his family arranged his marriage with another woman. Upset over this, Swati had warned him of consequences, following which he, along with two others, allegedly conspired to murder her.

On March 3, Swati was lured to a meeting under the pretext of a conversation and was later taken to an abandoned school building in Rattihalli, where she was strangled with a towel. Her body was then placed in a car’s trunk and later disposed of in the Tungabhadra river.

Swati’s disappearance led her family to file a missing complaint. Initially, the Halageri police buried the body assuming it to be that of an unidentified person. However, a post-mortem examination confirmed foul play, and further investigations led to the identification of the victim.

Swati, who was passionate about traditional bull-taming sports, had met the accused during such an event. She was working at a hospital in Ranebennur and lived with her mother, as she had lost her father earlier.

The case has sparked outrage, with political leaders and activists demanding a thorough investigation. A signature campaign has also been launched urging strict action against the accused.