Mohammad Ejaz, who is an auto-rickshaw driver, had concealed his profession also. After Apoorva got to know about his real identity and earlier marriage, she had filed for divorce.
Mohammad Ejaz, 30, stabbed his wife Apoorva 23 times in Gadag in Karnataka after Apoorva discovered that he was already married and had three children. The victim is critical and undergoing treatment in a private hospital.
Apoorva, a management graduate, was in a relationship with Ejaz and got married to him in 2018 against her parents’ wishes. Ejaz had also concealed that he was an auto-rickshaw driver.
After the marriage, Ejaz converted her to Islam and got her a new identity as Arfa Bano. The couple has a child.
After Apoorva discovered about Ejaz’s first marriage and three children, she confronted him. Ejaz argued that he’s a Muslim and more than one marriage is allowed for him. The victim returned to her parents’ home in Gadag and started working in a private firm. She also filed for a divorce.
The hearing for the divorce case was scheduled for Friday (March 11). Ejaz, who was stalking Apoorva, stabbed her 23 times on Thursday (March 10).
On Thursday (March 10) morning, Apoorva was just outside her house with her neighbour Ravi, who was teaching her how to ride a scooter, when Ejaz attacked her with a machete. Neighbours tried to save Apoorva but Ejaz pushed them away.
Apoorva, who is a Brahmin, was forced to make many compromises to make the marriage work. She was pure vegetarian before marriage but Ejaz forced her to consume meat.
Also, he forced her to convert to Islam and took her to a maulavi to get her a new identity as Arfa Bano. Against her wishes, she was forced to wear burqa by Ejaz.
After she discovered few months back that Ejaz was an auto-rickshaw driver, she confronted him. Ejaz told her that he was running short of money to finance his education and so was doing it only as a part time job.
When Apoorva narrated her order to her parents, they convinced her to start working in a private firm. The police arrested Ejaz, who is a resident of Hubballi, on Saturday (March 12).
Raju Khanappanavar, a coordinator of Sri Ram Sena, told The Indian Express that Mohammad Ejaz had trapped Apoorva after checking her family background and later abandoned her. He demanded that the police must investigate whether there is a network of such people who trap Hindu girls.
