Recent incidents in Rajasthan have brought attention to a disturbing trend where groups of Muslim men are targeting minor Hindu girls for religious conversion and exploitation. These groups employ similar tactics, using social media to initiate contact with their victims, forming relationships to gain their trust, and then exploiting them sexually. They often photograph or record the victims in compromising situations, using the material to blackmail them for money or to coerce them into recruiting others.
A Familiar Pattern of Predation
The modus operandi of these groups is strikingly consistent. Young girls are approached through social media platforms like Instagram, where predators pose as friends or suitors to gain their trust. Once ensnared, the victims are subjected to sexual assault, with their explicit photos and videos recorded as tools for blackmail. The exploitation doesn’t end there—these girls are coerced into recruiting their peers, creating a cascading chain of victims. Beyond financial extortion, several cases reveal an additional layer of coercion: pressure to adopt Islamic practices and convert, raising concerns about a deeper agenda.
This pattern echoes the 1992 Ajmer scandal, where over 100 girls were blackmailed and raped over months by influential figures using compromising material. That case shocked the nation when exposed, and today’s incidents suggest that its lessons remain unlearned. Three recent cases in Rajasthan—spanning Udaipur’s Gogunda, Ajmer’s Christian Ganj, and Bijaynagar—illustrate the scale and sophistication of this modern crisis.
Case 1: The Tragic Suicide of Two Sisters in Udaipur
On November 11, 2024, in Udaipur’s Gogunda area, two cousin sisters, aged 16 and 17, ended their lives by consuming poison tablets. These 11th-grade students at a government school had been missing since the previous evening, their bodies were discovered in a field near their home. The investigation uncovered a harrowing tale of manipulation and blackmail orchestrated by Shahwaz, a 19-year-old from Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, located 800 kilometers away.
The girls’ mobile phones revealed over 3,000 interactions with Shahwaz, alongside money transfers and objectionable chats. Their notebooks contained Urdu verses, Quranic passages, and the Kalma, hinting at a process of indoctrination. On social media, they had adopted the names Muskan and Anisa, suggesting a shift in identity under duress. Shahwaz confessed to brainwashing the sisters—drawing parallels to the film The Kerala Story—and driving them to suicide through blackmail, possibly involving explicit content.
Initially deemed a routine suicide by Gogunda police, the case deepened after family pressure. Shahwaz was arrested, and a chargesheet filed, yet questions linger. The family alleged a broader gang, including a classmate and local youth, but the then-SHO, Shaitan Singh, found evidence only against Shahwaz.
Case 2: Gang Rape and Extortion in Ajmer’s Christian Ganj
On May 30, 2024, a father approached Christian Ganj police station in Ajmer, reporting the exploitation of his 11th-grade daughter. Her ordeal began in October 2023 at a coaching centre, where a friend introduced her to Irfan via Instagram. Despite her reluctance, she was manipulated into a relationship. Irfan gained her trust, accessed her Instagram password, and used her account to send obscene messages to other girls, expanding his web of targets.
The abuse escalated as Irfan blackmailed her with explicit photos and videos, extorting Rs 5 lakh in secret installments from her family’s funds. He and his accomplices gang-raped her in her own home, demanding an additional Rs 10 lakh to “free” her. The relentless pressure drove her into depression, and her father’s suspicions about missing money led to her tearful confession. Police swiftly arrested Irfan, Arbaaz, and a minor on June 1, followed by Aslam, Razzaq, Mubarak, and Imran on June 3. The accused’s phones revealed a trove of obscene content involving multiple girls, though much data was deleted pre-arrest.
The investigation mirrored the 1992 Ajmer scandal’s playbook, prompting raids on illegal cafes and restaurants. A chargesheet was filed by August 3, 2024, but CO Rudra Prakash Sharma denied evidence of an organised gang, citing only one victim. Advocate Seemant Bhardwaj praised the arrests but lamented the lack of depth—key witnesses were unavailable, and other victims’ families stayed silent due to stigma. Mysteriously, the low-profile accused secured costly legal aid, hinting at unseen backers. Most secured bail after multiple attempts, leaving justice incomplete.
Case 3: Bijaynagar’s Schoolgirl Blackmail Ring
In Bijaynagar, Ajmer, a gang of 10-15 Muslim youths—all labourers and non-students—targeted five 10th-grade girls from a private school. Operating as a coordinated unit, they used social media to trap their victims, recording explicit content for blackmail. The girls faced sexual exploitation and pressure with adopting Islamic practices like fasting and reciting the Kalma, sparking conversion allegations. The accused, friends from the same neighbourhood, shared victims’ details among themselves, systematically expanding their reach.
The ongoing investigation, overseen by IG Omprakash Chaudhary, has been placed under the Case Officer Scheme for expedited trials. Two café operators were implicated for providing spaces where rapes occurred.
Despite public outrage, police rejected the “love jihad” label, framing it as a social media entrapment case. Municipal authorities issued notices to the accused’s families, threatening demolition of illegal structures, reflecting community frustration. The case highlights the gang’s audacity and the vulnerability of schoolgirls to such schemes.
Systemic Failures and Unanswered Questions
Across these cases, a disturbing trend emerges: predators exploit social media’s reach to target minors, using blackmail to perpetuate abuse and recruitment. The police have made arrests—Shahwaz in Udaipur, seven in Ajmer, and several in Bijaynagar—but the larger nexus remains elusive. Why? Advocates quoted in a report point to superficial investigations, constrained by pressure, haste, or societal reluctance to confront the full scope. Families of other potential victims often stay silent, fearing shame, while evidence like deleted data or absent witnesses hampers progress.
The religious conversion angle—evident in Urdu writings, name changes, and coerced practices—raises questions about intent. Is this a coordinated gang effort, as families allege, or isolated acts by individuals? The police’s denial of a broader racket contrasts with the cases’ similarities to 1992, suggesting either oversight or an unwillingness to probe deeper—expensive legal support for seemingly low-profile accused further fuels speculation of hidden orchestrators.
Lessons from History and a Path Forward
The 1992 Ajmer scandal, involving over 100 victims and powerful perpetrators, exposed systemic failures in protecting vulnerable girls. Today’s cases indicate little has changed—technology has merely amplified the threat. Expert Ashish Rajouria warns that fake social media profiles lure minors with curated wealth, a trap parents must counter through vigilance and counselling. He notes that 80 per cent of such crimes begin online, progressing from friendship to rape under false pretences.
Legislative Response
In response to these and similar incidents, the Rajasthan government introduced the “Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill 2025” on February 3 during the state assembly’s budget session. The bill targets forced conversions, imposing 2 to 10 years in prison and a Rs 25,000 fine for those found guilty, with specific protections for women, minors, and Scheduled Castes and Tribes. Minister KK Vishnoi stated the legislation aims to curb “love jihad” and protect vulnerable girls from such exploitation.
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