Bengaluru, March 14 : The Karnataka Police, on Friday, confirmed that a young woman, who had gone missing more than a week ago, has been murdered, officials said.

The incident has been reported from the Haveri district of Karnataka, with Hindu activists and former Chief Minister and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai alleging that it is a case of "love jihad".

The police have arrested the main accused in connection with the case and launched a manhunt for other two accused persons.

Swati Ramesh Byadgi, a nurse and a resident of Masur village, had gone missing on March 3.

The arrested person has been identified as Nayaz, a resident of Halevirapura village.

After searching for Swati, her family lodged a missing person complaint with the Hirekerur police station.

On March 6, Swati's dead body was found in the Tungabhadra River near Pattepura village, located nearby Ranebennur town in Haveri district, within the jurisdiction of the Halageri police station.

The Halageri police, upon recovering the body, initially buried it, assuming it to be that of an orphan.

However, the deceased woman's post-mortem revealed that it was a murder case. Later, the identity of Swati was established as the missing case was lodged, police said.

Swati did not have a father, and her mother and other family members initially had no suspicions.

She was working at a hospital in Ranebennur town.

When the family and police inquired with her colleagues and friends, they learned that she had been in a relationship with a man named Nayaz.

Villagers and Hindu activists suspect that this is a case of "love jihad" and have started a signature campaign, urging the police to take action against Nayaz.

Swati's family and relatives claimed that if she had belonged to a different community, justice would have been served more swiftly.

However, Haveri Superintendent of Police (SP) Anshu Kumar Srivastava, speaking to the media on Friday, said that the post-mortem report confirmed that Swati was murdered.

Three special teams were formed to investigate the case.

After technical analysis and call detail record examination, three suspects were identified and one of them has been arrested.

The police have launched a manhunt for Vinayaka, and Durgachari, the other two accused in the murder case.

According to the SP, Swati had an altercation with the accused, following which they murdered her. The accused then transported her body in a vehicle and dumped it into the Tungabhadra river.

On the other hand, former CM and BJP MP Basavaraja Bommai on Friday condemned the murder of Swati Ramesh Byadgi, a young woman from Masuru village in Rattihalli taluk, Haveri, and alleged that the 'love jihad' network is actively operating in the state, and the rising number of such incidents is due to the lack of fear among criminals.

In a post on X, former CM Bommai said that ever since the Congress government came to power in Karnataka, the safety of women has deteriorated.

It is quite shocking that there have been rising incidents where young women are deceived and murdered in the pretext of love, he added.

The former Chief Minister said that before the Neha Hiremath's murder in Hubballi could subside, another horrifying incident has taken place with the murder of Swati Ramesh Byadgi in Haveri district.

Reports suggest that this, too, could be linked to love jihad, Bommai added.

The BJP leader said that nearly a week after the incident, efforts to protect the main accused, Nayaz, seem evident.

Reports indicate that Nayaz pretended to be in love with Swati, later rejected her for being from a different religion, and decided to marry another woman from his own community. When Swati confronted him about this, he allegedly killed her.

Bommai also alleged that the love jihad network has been actively functioning in the state in recent times.

The rise in such crimes is due to the lack of fear among criminals and emphasised that only strict punishment for the guilty can curb such incidents, he said.

"The police must act without succumbing to any pressure and to take stringent action against those responsible, including those supporting such acts. However, the authorities concerned often fail to handle such cases seriously, allowing them to fade from public memory," Bommai added.

He urged the state government to provide appropriate compensation to Swati's family and ensure justice is served.

/IANS