A 27-year-old staff nurse, Sujata, was brutally stabbed to death on Jig Jag Road near Bangarapet, on the outskirts of Karnataka’s Kolar district, after she repeatedly refused to marry a man who had allegedly been harassing her for several weeks.
The accused, Chiranjeevi, a married man employed with IndusInd Bank, reportedly attacked her while she was on her way to work, stabbing her multiple times in broad daylight. Local residents rushed to the spot after hearing her cries, caught hold of the accused, and handed him over to the police.
The incident has triggered widespread shock and anger after it emerged that Sujata had earlier approached the Bangarapet police with a complaint of harassment against the same man, with her family alleging that no meaningful action was taken.
The Kolar Police have registered a case of murder, arrested the accused, and stated that further investigation is underway, including verification of earlier complaints and the events leading up to the crime.
Stabbed In Broad Daylight While Heading To Work
The murder took place on the morning of January 15 on Jig Jag Road, a stretch frequented by commuters near Bangarapet town. According to police officials, Sujata, a resident of Guttahalli village in Bangarapet taluk, was travelling to her workplace in Narasapura, where she had been working as a staff nurse for the past three months.
It was then that Chiranjeevi allegedly intercepted her, confronted her, and attacked her with a knife, inflicting multiple stab wounds that proved fatal. Eyewitnesses told the police that Sujata cried out for help, prompting nearby residents and passers-by to rush to the scene.
“People heard her screams and immediately intervened. The accused was caught and restrained before he could escape,” a senior police officer said, confirming that Chiranjeevi was later taken into custody. The brutal nature of the crime, carried out in a public space during daylight hours, has intensified fear and outrage among locals, particularly women who commute daily for work.
Harassment Complaints, Rejection, And A Pattern Of Coercion
Police investigations have revealed that Sujata and Chiranjeevi were acquainted from earlier years when both were associated with a finance company. During that time, Chiranjeevi reportedly met Sujata during money collection visits, after which he continued to remain in contact with her.
Despite knowing that both of them were married and had two children each, he allegedly began pressuring Sujata to marry him. Sujata, who had separated from her husband and was living independently, clearly refused his advances. Investigators say her rejection reportedly led to frequent arguments, verbal pressure, and alleged harassment over financial issues.
It has now come to light that Sujata had filed a complaint at the Bangarapet police station some time ago, accusing Chiranjeevi of harassment. However, her family claims that no concrete action followed. Her father, struggling to come to terms with the loss, said, “We went to the police earlier and complained, but nobody listened to us. If they had taken the complaint seriously, my daughter would be alive today.”
Police officials have stated that they are examining the earlier complaint, call records, and the sequence of events to determine whether preventive action could have been taken and whether any lapses occurred.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This devastating incident is a grim reminder of how a woman’s right to say “no” continues to be met with entitlement, coercion, and, in extreme cases, fatal violence. Sujata’s murder is not merely the story of one individual’s brutality but a reflection of deeper societal failures where rejection is seen as an insult, persistence is normalised as affection, and complaints of harassment are too often dismissed as “personal matters.” When early warning signs are ignored, the consequences can be irreversible.
At The Logical Indian, we believe that safety, dignity, and autonomy are non-negotiable rights, and that institutions must respond with urgency, empathy, and accountability when women report harassment. Beyond policing, there is an urgent need for communities to challenge toxic notions of masculinity and entitlement that fuel such crimes.
