More than a year after Neha Hiremath murder, trial proceedings begin in Hubballi court

HUBBALLI: One year and ten days after the gruesome murder Neha Hiremath, the daughter of former Congress corporator Niranjan Hiremath, the trial commenced at the first additional district and sessions court on Tuesday.

The police produced the accused Fayaz before the court. The CID was represented by Mahesh Vaidya and and Neha Hiremath by Raghavendra while advocate S R Patil was nominated by the taluk legal services authority to represent Fayaz. However, since he did not approve of it, advocate Z R Mullah Fayaz was named the defence counsel.

Since it was the first day of the trial, judge Parameshwara Prasanna adjourned further proceedings to May 3, 2025. It is expected that the trial will be taken up on fast track and concluded in one month’s time.

Since the Anjali murder in Hubballi was carried out on the lines of the Neha Hiremath murder, the prosecution is expected to seek death penalty for the accused.

The prosecution has lined up over 80 witnesses in the case. Neha Hiremath, a student of BVB College, was murdered by Fayaz, a former classmate, on April 14, 2024 as she rejected his advances. Fayaz had stabbed 27 times, leading to her death, on the college campus.