A shocking case of forced religious conversion has emerged in Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh, where a Hindu man, Mukul Singh, was reportedly coerced into embracing Islam before his marriage to a Muslim woman. The case is now under investigation under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act.
According to reports, Mukul Singh, 24, was pressured by a group of clerics into reciting the Kalma, adopting an Arabic name, and undergoing ritual circumcision. The coercion included threats of eternal damnation should he refuse to convert.
Following a complaint by his father, Jaswant Singh, five individuals, including two clerics, were arrested on February 9.
Details of the Incident
The incident came to light when Singh’s father, accompanied by activists from Hindu organisations, lodged an FIR at the Keeratpur Police Station, alleging that his son was forced to convert before the wedding.
The police arrested clerics Qari Irshad and Gufran, along with the woman Saema, 21, and her parents, Mohammed Shahid and Rukhsana Begum. The accused were presented before a local court and later sent to the district jail. Mukul Singh was released after interrogation.
Dhampur Police confirmed that the marriage took place at the Aftaf-e-Uloom Madrasa on Saturday (Feb 8) night.
Station House Officer (SHO) Rakesh Kumar stated that one of the clerics asked for Mukul’s Aadhaar card before performing the marriage but fled the scene upon realizing that he belonged to a different religion.
Sequence of Events
Investigations revealed that Mukul Singh, employed at a medical store in Dhampur, had been in a relationship with Saema. When she expressed her desire to marry him, her parents initially objected due to religious differences but later agreed on the condition that he convert to Islam. Mukul consented, adopting the name Mahir Ansari, and the wedding ceremony was conducted at the madrasa.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Dharam Singh Marchal confirmed that the police are thoroughly investigating the case, with a focus on whether coercion was involved. Meanwhile, the arrested individuals remain in judicial custody as further legal proceedings unfold.
