A 30-year-old Dalit woman named Ranjitha Bhanasode was stabbed to death on January 3 in Yellapur town, Uttara Kannada district. Police said the accused, Rafique Imamsab, a man known to her, attacked her after she refused to marry him. He was later found dead in a nearby forest on January 4. Ranjitha was a mid-day meal helper at a government school and lived with her family after separating from her husband. Both Rafique and Ranjitha were childhood friends from the same locality. A police officer said, "Preliminary investigation suggests that the accused was pressuring the woman to marry him. After she refused, he allegedly attacked her with a knife in public." The stabbing happened as Ranjitha returned from work. The murder sparked communal tension in Yellapur. Several Hindu groups called for a bandh on January 4, blaming the incident on 'love jihad'. Sri Ram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik called it "a 100% case of ‘love jihad’ where single women, widows or divorcee are targeted." Angry locals and activists protested outside the police station, accusing police of delaying Rafique's arrest and warned of continuing protests until action is taken. BJP State president B.Y. Vijayendra planned to meet Ranjitha’s family on January 4. Meanwhile, police deployed extra forces and tightened security in Yellapur to maintain peace.