Another instance shedding light on a concerning trend where Muslim men target Hindu girls and women for conversion has emerged from the remote tribal region of Chhattisgarh. The incident took place in Rahunathpur, situated in the Surguja district of the state, where two 14-year-old girls were abducted by individuals named Mohammad Ishtaq and Inzmamul under the pretence of fake love.
Fortunately, the police acted promptly and successfully recovered the minors. They were found in the Ranchi district of Jharkhand, while the accused were apprehended and taken into police custody.
Local Hindu activists have labelled this incident as a case of ‘Love Jihad’, alleging that the accused and their families have a history of specifically targeting Hindu girls and women for their property, leading to another issue that they term as ‘Land Jihad’.
The Hindu activists told Organiser that, the minor girls were lured and manipulated by their sister-in-law, Fatima who works as a teacher at the school. From the day the girls went missing, Fatima disappeared. Activists allege she had a big role in the abduction of the Hindu girls.
The Police have taken swift action in both these cases which include abduction of minors and illegal possession of the land belonging to scheduled caste and tribe people.
Abduction and Rescue of Minors
According to the First Information Report (FIR numbers 84/2024 and 85/2024) filed at the Lundra police station in Surguja (Ambikapur district) on April 2, two 14-year-old girls were reported missing.
Dukalu Ram Jangde, father of one of the victims and belonging to the Harijan caste, informed the police that his daughter, a class 9 student, went to Sant Anna English Medium School (Missionary) on April 2 to take a Math exam scheduled from 9 am to 12 noon. However, she did not return home after the exam.
Similarly, Dilip Gupta, father of the other victim, informed the police that his daughter also did not return home after the exam, suspecting she may have been abducted.
Based on the complaints, the police registered a case under section 363 (Abduction) of the IPC.
Following the complaints, authorities initiated a search for the minors, and on the same day, they were located in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
Family Suspect Conversion
The Superintendent of Police, Vijay Agrawal, told that two 14-year-old girls, who were in the 9th grade, didn’t return home after their final exams. Their worried parents reported them missing to the police. The girls were lured by 19-year-old Ishtiaq Khan and 20-year-old Inzamamul, who were in higher classes at the same school.
According to the girls’ families, they were last seen getting into an autorickshaw. On April 2, an angry crowd gathered at the Raghunathpur police station when they found out the girls were missing and demanded their quick rescue. The girls were on their way to school when they met the boys, who convinced them to join them in the autorickshaw and took them to Ranchi.
A search was launched for the girls after they didn’t return home. The family tried to find them with the help of friends but couldn’t. They learned that the girls had been taken by the boys. Members of Hindu organisations and locals gathered at the police station, demanding action against the boys and the safe return of the girls raising concerns about them being trapped in ‘Love Jihad’.
The police discovered that the girls had been taken to Ranchi by bus. They informed the authorities in Ranchi, who found the girls when the boys turned their phones back on. The girls were rescued and brought home.
The accused boys have been charged under sections 363, 366, and 354 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Superintendent Agrawal mentioned that there was a strike in Raghunathpur on April 3, but the situation was under control.
‘Land Jihad’ Row
In addition to arresting the suspects, the district administration has issued a notice regarding the illegal occupation of land by the accused and their families. According to Notice Number 428/2024 dated April 3, the accused, including Nazma Begum, have encroached upon land belonging to the Vanvasi community.
The notice states that the land (Khasra Number: 479/9, Area 0.02 Hectare) is registered in the name of Kuthar Uraon but has been unlawfully occupied by Nazma and her family. Similar notices were posted outside unauthorised houses constructed by six Muslim families over land belonging to the Vanvasi community.
The accused families include Raiyaz (Khasra Number: 474/4), Kudus/Kareem (Khasra Number: 474/8), Sameena (Khasra Number: 474/10), Kalamuddin (Khasra Number: 474/11), and Israel (Khasra Number: 474/12). All these individuals have unlawfully occupied land belonging to the Vanvasi community.
A Den of Conversion Activities
Organiser interviewed a local Hindu activist, Vikas Gupta, after the minor girls were rescued. According to Vikas, Rahunathpur has witnessed a surge in conversion activities in recent years, particularly during the Congress regime. There is a significant rise in cases pertaining to ‘Love Jihad’, he added.
He noted that out of the 5000 residents of Rahunathpur, approximately twenty per cent have converted to Islam. The primary targets are girls and women employed in government positions, those abandoned by their families or husbands, and women entitled to ancestral property shares.
The region houses two mosques and a madrasa. Regarding missionary activities, Gupta mentioned that nearly half of the village is under the influence of missionaries, with seven to eight churches located every ten kilometres. The missionaries entice Hindus with promises of medical treatment, financial upliftment, and more.
Gupta highlighted that these churches are not small structures but rather large ones costing between 35 to 40 lakhs each. Scheduled caste and tribe individuals are the main targets, with the ultimate goal being to acquire their land. These individuals often attend prayer meetings and identify as followers of Yeshu (Jesus).
He emphasised that despite their conversion, these individuals continue to seek benefits designated for scheduled caste and tribe communities.
Imbibing Sanatan Values
Gupta and others in Ragunathpur have initiated weekly gatherings to discuss Sanatan Dharma and its values. They refer to these gatherings as “Bhimsen Mangal Milan” and the event itself as “Milan.” Gupta, affiliated with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has been actively involved in reviving lost values in the people living in the area for the past three years.
He mentioned that the attendance at these “Milan” gatherings usually remains under a hundred, comprising only Hindus. Those who have recently converted to Christianity or attend prayer meetings do not participate in the “Milan.”
In addition to these gatherings, Gupta stated that they organise various events such as the recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa on Hanuman Jayanti at the Bhimsen Mandir. On June 6, 2023, they organised a Hanuman Chalisa event where the Chalisa was recited 6,000 times, attracting thousands of participants.
Through their efforts, the “Milan” gatherings have expanded from one village to 27 villages. These gatherings have been well-received, and many individuals participate. They also conduct weekly Hanuman Chalisa recitations to reconnect Hindus with their roots. Under the initiative called “Har Gaav Mandir Nirman,” they have constructed three temples and conducted pran pratishtha ceremonies.
Gupta mentioned that women now actively participate in temple activities, organising events like Shiv Charcha and Bhajan Sandhya. Over the past three years, only one family has reverted to Sanatan Dharma from Christianity.
Gupta expressed confidence that gradually, they will succeed in bringing back all their lost brothers and sisters to their roots and dharma in the coming years.
