Bengaluru, April 20 (IANS) As the slugfest around the murder of MCA student Neha Hiremath on Thursday continued on Saturday, the mother of the accused Fayaz Kondikoppa apologised to the parents of the victim and said that her son should be punished. The apology came on a day when Karnataka Home Minister, Dr G Parameshwara also apologised for his “in love” remark in the case.

Talking to reporters, Home Minister Parameshwara stated on Saturday that, if at all his statements regarding the case had hurt the feelings of Neha’s parents he would regret issuing of the statements.

Reacting to the incident Parameshwara had stated that Neha and Fayaz were in love with each other.

Expressing regret, Fayaz’s mother Mumtaz said on Saturday, “What my son did is a crime. Neha and Fayaz were in love and it was Neha who proposed to Fayaz. When Fayaz told me about it I had asked him not to continue the relationship.

“My son should be punished severely. He dreamt of becoming an officer in Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS). Neha was a good girl. I apologise to their family.”

Reacting to this, Geetha, mother of Neha said, “Ask them to bring back my daughter. I am waiting for my daughter. The accused should be punished, he should be hanged.

“We know our daughter. There was no relationship between the two. Did our daughter not know which religion she belonged to? We always spent time together, she shared everything with me.”

Neha’s father, a Congress Corporator has maintained that it is a case of love jihad.

Neha was stabbed to death on the college campus in Hubballi city. The students had chased Fayaz, caught him and handed him over to the police.