UP: Converted brother forced Dalit sister to accept Islam for property; she said “I am Shiv Bhakt, will never convert”

Last month, a Dalit woman from the Ambedkarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh lodged a complaint against her own brother for forcing her to convert to Islam. The victim’s brother had converted to Islam years ago and after their parents died, he started pressuring the victim to convert as well. He wanted a fair share of the property and hence came to the village. He used fake documents and when they failed, he abused and threatened the victim. The victim’s brother and his family have been booked under the Uttar Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, also called the Anti-Conversion Law.

As per the First Information Report (FIR number—177/2023) registered at the Malipur police station on August 31 by Indravati Devi, her brother Mohammad Hussain alias Shyamlal has been forcing her to convert to Islam.

In her complaint to the police, Indravati, a native of Tarakalan, told the police that, some years ago her brother Shyamlal moved to Mumbai leaving his wife and family. There he came in contact with a few clerics and got converted to Islam. He changed his name to Muhammad Hussain and also married a Muslim woman.

Hussain converted a Brahmin boy to marry his daughter

Years after becoming Muslim, Hussain trapped a Hindu man named Vikki Tripathi, a native of Varanasi and got him converted to marry his daughter.

Recently, Indravati’s mother, Pratapi Devi, died, and after learning this, Hussain returned home. On returning, he asked the victim and her daughters to convert to Islam. He said, on converting, he would give them a share of his ancestral property and also a sum of Rs 2 Lakh. When the victim refused to adhere to his demands, he barged into her house forcefully, abused her using casteist slurs and also issued death threats.

Based on the victim’s complaint, police booked the accused Hussain, his wife Mumtaz, his daughter Heena, and Heena’s husband Vikki Tripathi, alias Abdul Rehman. The sections invoked against them include IPC 452 (house trespass), 504 (intentionally insulting), and 506 (criminal intimidation), along with sections 3 and 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act and sections of the Prevention of Atrocities Act also called as the SC-ST Act.

Hussain became a Muslim after coming in contact with clerics

This correspondent called Indravati on September 13 and she shared that, Hussain left home years ago and severed all ties with them. She lost her father when she was very young and it was only her mother who looked after them. Instead of taking responsibility of the house, Hussain left them reeling in poverty.

Indravati got married and has three daughters. After her marriage, her mother fell ill and became bedridden. She had to return to look after her and since then, she and her daughters have been living in the village. She works as a labourer and looks after a family of four, her husband lives outside and works as a labourer.

Recently, after the demise of their mother Pratapi Devi, Mohammad Hussain came to the village with the family and started pressuring Indravati and her family to convert to Islam.

Further, Indravati claimed that on August 30, Mohammad Hussain and his family broke into her house. At first, they offered her land and Rs 2 lakh in exchange for her conversion to Islam. Indravati was called a “Kaafir” (an infidel) and threatened with death when she refused to convert.

Hussain looked down at the victim as ‘lower caste’ people

She explained that ever since the police registered her complaint and detained her brother and his family, she had been receiving threats. She shared how she was terrified for the safety of her children and claimed that some people had threatened to fix her as soon as Mohammad Hassan and his family were released from custody. However, Indravati was too afraid to reveal the identities of those who had been threatening her.

Hussain who left Mumbai almost 25 years ago never returned back except for some occasions in the village. He cut all ties with his biological sister and looked down upon them for coming from a scheduled caste. He only came to the village to attend Islamic gatherings or meet Muslim people.

Unexpectedly, he returned and demanded a share in the property. First, he was very polite and sounded concerned saying, what is the need of struggling so much if he is there to look after them? All she has to do is become a Muslim. The religion will give her respect and a decent income to lead a happy life.

Victim said, “I am a Shiv Bhakt, will never convert”

Indravati told him that, she is an ardent Shiva Bhakt and worships Mata Durga, she needs to cover religion to lead a happy life. She is happy with this identity and will die as a proud Hindu and not a fake person.

She told this correspondent that, it has come to light that Hussain visited the office of the lekhpal with his previous Adhar Card showing him as Shyamlal. He wanted to take control of the land and throw her out. However, when his documents did not work he came to lure them and take her in confidence.

She says, “He was missing when our mother needed us the most. Now he wants a share in her land, I am not interested in the land, I only have daughters, and they are married, what will I do of this land? I will die someday, but I do not want this double-faced man to get even an inch of the land from my parents.”