In a disturbing incident reported from the Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh, a Hindu woman named Lakshmi has accused a Muslim woman, identified as Shabana Khan, of deceitfully converting her 24-year-old husband, Akash Maurya, to Islam. The incident unfolded on December 25 when a 15-second video of Akash Maurya wearing a skull cap went viral on social media, accompanied by a background song titled ‘Mera Dil toh Mohammed’ and a caption declaring, “Today, I have become a Muslim.”
Prompted by the video, Lakshmi, along with other family members, lodged a complaint with the Subhash Nagar police, alleging that Shabana Khan had ensnared Akash Maurya into a love trap. According to the complaint, Akash Maurya had been missing since December 21, taking with him gold and silver coins, as well as Rs 23,000 in cash.
Meet Akash Maurya from Bareilly who has allegedly converted to Islam after coming in contact with a Muslim woman. Akash is already married and has a daughter. Four days back he went missing and posted this video as status. Family says he is groomed to convert, watch: pic.twitter.com/KK0uZUOdac
— Subhi Vishwakarma (@subhi_karma) December 26, 2023
Akash Maurya, employed as a delivery boy in a courier company, reportedly met Shabana Khan, a 21-year-old woman, during his deliveries in Math Lakshmipur, falling under the jurisdiction of the Izzatnagar police station. Lakshmi revealed that her husband had been conversing with Shabana Khan over the phone for the past four months, alleging that she had tricked him into her love trap.
Shabana Khan reportedly contacted Lakshmi via video call, claiming that Akash Maurya had willingly converted to Islam and issuing threats against his wife if she attempted to contact him. Akash Maurya’s mother, Sapna, disclosed that her son infrequently visited home after coming in contact with Shabana Khan. She asserted that Akash was coerced into converting to Islam and mentioned hearing him cry in the background during Shabana’s calls to Lakshmi, prompting the family to file a complaint with the police.
Superintendent of Police Rahul Bhati informed the media that Akash Maurya visited the Subash Nagar police station to record his statement, vehemently denying the accusations of converting to Islam. He refuted all allegations of religious conversion.
Providing an update on December 26, the father of Akash Maurya informed the media that his son has returned home. When questioned about the claims of religious conversion, he affirmed the truth of the allegations. The incident sheds light on the sensitive issue of interfaith relationships and alleged forced conversions, prompting authorities to investigate the matter further.
