Muslim Man Arrested for Forcing Hindu Woman to Convert [Sadalpur, Madhya Pradesh]

(Reported as seen)

In a disturbing case of alleged forced religious conversion, a Muslim man named Shahrukh, posing as Rohit, befriended a Hindu woman in Sadalpur, Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh. Shahrukh, along with his accomplice Junaid, has been arrested by the police following a complaint from the victim.

According to Savita Chaudhary, in-charge of Sadalpur police station, the young woman runs a vegetable stall. Shahrukh used to visit her stall under the pretext of buying vegetables. During these visits, he introduced himself as Rohit and gradually befriended her. As their acquaintance grew, Shahrukh started discussing Islam and praised its virtues, urging her to convert.

The situation escalated when the woman discovered Shahrukh’s true identity and began distancing herself from him. In response, Shahrukh started threatening her, having taken several photographs of her which he edited and threatened to post on social media. He persistently pressured her to meet and talk to him, and even threatened her into converting to Islam and marrying him.

On the evening of Thursday, June 20, 2024, the victim went to a medical store owned by Junaid, who is a friend of Shahrukh. Shahrukh arrived at the store and began harassing her. When she raised an alarm, locals gathered, causing Shahrukh to flee the scene.

The incident prompted the intervention of local Hindu organizations, who assisted the victim in filing a police complaint. Based on her complaint, an FIR was registered, and both Shahrukh and his accomplice Junaid were arrested. Junaid had also been pressuring the victim to convert to Islam and threatened to kill her if she did not comply.

The police have charged Shahrukh and Junaid with multiple offenses, including harassment and under various sections of the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act 2021. Following the arrests, Hindu organizations have demanded stringent action to prevent such incidents in the future.

This case highlights the need for vigilance and stringent measures to protect individuals from forced religious conversions and related harassment. The community and law enforcement are urged to work together to ensure the safety and rights of all citizens.