A Hindu girl from Sitarganj in Uttarakhand was subjected to rape and coerced into conversion by a man identified as Afzal. The victim’s complaint states that Afzal misrepresented himself as a Hindu to establish a relationship with her. Serious accusations have been made against Afzal and his family members by the victim.
In her statement, the victim revealed that, the accused Afazal Ahmed introduced himself as Rahul almost four years ago and proposed her for a relationship. Back then, she was a minor and the duo began dating, he also involved her into physical relationship over the period of time.
She recounted that on November 27 of the previous year, the perpetrator summoned her to his residence, where she discovered his true identity. The girl additionally accused him and his family of holding her against her will. Afzal and his brother, Iqrar Ahmed, confined the victim to a room and coerced her to marry Afzal and convert to Islam. Authorities have since charged Afzal Ahmed, Iqrar Ahmed, their father Abrar Ahmed, and mother under the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The girl underwent a medical examination on May 1. Surendra Pratap Singh, the officer in charge of the Sarkada police station, affirmed that raids are underway to apprehend the perpetrators.
It is pertinent to mention that on April 25, a woman filed a case against Atharuddin in Haldwani stating that the accused who used to run a mobile shop had taken the number of her 17-year-old daughter when she went to the shop to get a recharge done.
Later, he began sending dirty text messages to the minor and even pretended to be Sikh. He even stalked her to college stop and tried to hold her hand and molest her on the way. “Do what you want to do. I am not afraid of anyone. I will kidnap the girl in front of everyone,” he threatened when an acquaintance of the underage female confronted him and issued death threats to the person.
As per Bajrang Dal worker Joginder Singh Rana, the victim was approximately ten years younger than the Muslim male. Rana further mentioned that the offender did not possess any legal documentation to run the store and allegedly stored several phone numbers of Hindu girls on his phone, engaging in inappropriate conversations with them. When his actions were exposed, locals dragged the perpetrator out of his shop and subjected him to assault.
