A female Hindu employee at Lulu Mall in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, has accused her manager, Farhaz (also known as Faraz), of rape, blackmail, and forcing her to convert to Islam. The manager has since been arrested.
The woman reported that Farhaz gave her a cold beverage that she believes was spiked with drugs before he sexually assaulted her. Further details of the investigation are awaited.
The accused reportedly told the victim she had to comply to keep her job at Lulu Mall. He also repeatedly insulted Hinduism and its deities, causing deep distress to the woman’s religious sentiments.
Preliminary investigations suggest he may be linked to suspicious social media accounts and potential conversion networks. Police have launched a cyber forensic probe to determine any connections to a larger group.
Authorities are also questioning other mall employees as part of the investigation. According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (North), a case has been registered against the accused under multiple charges, including rape, criminal intimidation, and attempted forced conversion.
The accused has been produced in court and placed in police remand. Meanwhile, Lulu Mall management has not yet issued an official statement on the incident.
