BENGALURU: The growing menace of “Love Jihad” has resurfaced in the tech hub of India, Bangalore, where individuals from various states and countries converge. A troubling case of exploitation and coercion under the pretence of love has come to light, leading to the arrest of Bilal Rafiq a native of Kerala, by the Govindpur Police. Bilal, who falsely claimed to work in the Navy, is accused of manipulating a Hindu woman from Chhattisgarh for sexual exploitation, promising marriage but later pressuring her to convert to Islam.
The case involves a young woman, originally from Chhattisgarh, who was drawn into a romantic relationship with Bilal after they met on Instagram in 2021. Bilal posed as a high-ranking officer in the Merchant Navy, winning her trust and affection. Their relationship quickly developed, and under his influence, the woman relocated to Bangalore in search of work. She found a job as a nurse in a private hospital in 2022 and during this period she maintained her relationship with Bilal.
However, the relationship soon took a darker turn. Bilal allegedly manipulated the woman into multiple sexual encounters, resulting in her becoming pregnant twice. Each time, he pressured her into aborting the pregnancies, citing various reasons. Most notably, he convinced her that they could not have children before marriage. The young woman, although hesitant, complied with his demands.
Recently, she became pregnant for the third time. This time, she refused to abort the baby and demanded that Bilal marry her. Bilal initially agreed, but with a condition that she would have to convert to Islam. When she refused, he stalled the marriage further. According to the woman’s complaint, Bilal continued to exploit her trust, demanding Rs 1 lakh and an expensive phone under the guise of making wedding arrangements.
The woman, unwilling to convert, applied for marriage under the Special Marriage Act a law that allows interfaith marriages without conversion. When Bilal continued to delay the wedding and refused to marry her unless she converted, the woman filed a police complaint at Govindpura station. Bilal was subsequently arrested based on her complaint, and further investigations are underway.
This case has reignited the Love Jihad debate in Karnataka, highlighting the alleged use of romantic relationships to manipulate women into religious conversion. The term “Love Jihad” refers to a conspiracy theory suggesting that Muslim men target women from other religious communities for conversion through deceitful means, including false promises of love and marriage.
This incident adds to a growing list of cases being reported across the state. While many of these allegations are debated, the underlying concerns of religious manipulation and exploitation of vulnerable women persist. Community leaders, activists, and politicians have voiced concerns over the recurring incidents of coercion under the guise of romantic relationships, calling for stricter enforcement of laws to protect vulnerable individuals, particularly women.
The Karnataka Government has been addressing similar cases with increased scrutiny, especially as public outrage over incidents labeled as “Love Jihad” grows. Authorities are investigating Bilal’s background, suspecting a wider network involved in similar cases of fraud and religious coercion.
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