Surya, a Hindu girl who married a Muslim man after getting trapped in an alleged case of love jihad, has committed suicide by consuming acid
Surya aka Malu, who committed suicide on July 4, is reported to be a victim of love jihad. The incident has been reported from Kattakkada, Thiruvananthapuram District, Keralam. She consumed acid and died. According to her relatives, the story goes like this. Surya fell in love with one Arshad, an auto driver, five years ago. She was BA final year student at that time. It was only after the marriage that Surya came to know the hypocrisy of Arshad’s love. In contrast with the pre-marriage discussions, Arshad insisted on Surya’s conversion into Islam. Since Surya refused to oblige, Arshad, his parents, brother and his wives started torturing Surya physically. Relatives say that due to the severe physical torture Surya had tried to commit suicide several times.
Arshad-Surya couple has got two kids, three years and one year old respectively. Arshad insisted on calling them Muslim names. For fear of physical torture, Surya agreed. But, Arshad and his family members were not ready to accept Surya as their family member due to her stubborn refusal to embrace Islam. When torture turned beyond her toleration level, Surya went to her parents’ home. But, Arshad reached there with a camouflage of love. After a few days, he restarted the physical torture, this time dowry was his demand. He used to be under the influence of alcohol. Surya’s mother has been looking after her by doing manual labour since her husband had given up the family long ago. So, the demanded dowry was beyond her imagination. Naturally, Arshad stepped up the physical torture.
On July 3, Arshad came to Surya’s house along with his brother and wives. When the quarrel started, Surya consumed the acid used for making rubber sheet. Reports suggest that Arshad did not allow Surya’s mother to accompany her daughter to the hospital. Surya died in hospital. The natives and Hindu organisations demanded to register case for murder against Arshad and his family members.
It was the then Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan, in 2010, alleged that matrimonial conversion of non-Muslim girls is a part of the agenda of radical Muslim outfits like Popular Front of India to make Kerala as Muslim majority State. In the light of police reports, Justice K T Sankaran for the Kerala High Court in December 2009 observed that the blessings of some outfits for a concerted effort for religious conversions, some 3,000 to 4,000 incidences of which had taken place after love affairs in a four-year period.
Adv. Ratnakumar, Hindu Aikyavedi Thiruvananthapuram District President visited Surya’s house. Talking to the media persons he said that the suicide should be viewed as a serious incident. Surya is the victim of Love Jihad. He said, Surya had to commit suicide due to severe physical torture she had to undergo at her husband’s hands since she refused to convert into Islam. Arshad should be punished. Ratnakumar added that police should register cases against Arshd and his relatives for dowry violence and abetting suicide. If authorities try to close this as a mere suicide for saving the culprits, Hindu Aikya Vedi would launch powerful agitation.
T Satisan, Kochi
