Hubballi: A shocking case has surfaced in Hubballi where a Muslim youth, identified as Syed Rahana (28) allegedly posed as a Hindu man named ‘Ramesh’ to befriend a minor Hindu girl and lure her to a deserted area with the intention of sexually assaulting her. The incident, which took place under the Gokul Road Police Station limits, has once again drawn attention to what many describe as the growing “Love Jihad” menace the deceptive targeting of women from other religions under the guise of love and marriage.
According to reports, Syed introduced himself as Ramesh and slowly built a friendly relationship with the unsuspecting girl. Gaining her trust over time, he allegedly persuaded her to accompany him to a remote field. However, local residents who grew suspicious of the duo’s presence confronted the youth, leading to a dramatic revelation. Upon questioning and checking his mobile phone, they discovered that his real name was Syed Rahana, not Ramesh. His phone also reportedly contained several obscene videos and photographs of women, indicating a possible pattern of predatory behaviour.
Angered by the deception and the potential danger to the girl, the locals thrashed the youth before handing him over to the police. In a video that surfaced later, Syed was seen publicly confessing to his wrongdoing and pleading for forgiveness, saying he had made a mistake and would not repeat it.
The Gokul Road Police have registered a POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses) case, given the victim’s age, and are investigating the possibility of Syed’s involvement in a larger network. Officials said his mobile data is being examined to identify other potential victims and accomplices.
The incident has triggered widespread outrage across Hubballi and neighboring districts. Several citizens’ groups and community leaders have demanded stringent action, calling this a classic example of systematic grooming under false religious identity. They urged the government to take proactive steps to identify and dismantle such networks that prey upon unsuspecting women, particularly minors.
Community activists allege that this is not an isolated case but part of a recurring pattern in which young women are deceived through fake identities, social media connections, and emotional manipulation. “The pattern is clear — change of name, false display of faith, emotional entrapment, and then exploitation. The government cannot afford to treat this as a one-off crime anymore,” said a senior women’s rights campaigner in Hubballi.
The phrase “Love Jihad” though controversial has been increasingly used to describe cases where religious identity is deliberately concealed to establish romantic or physical relationships. Similar incidents have recently surfaced in other parts of Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Kerala, prompting calls for stricter laws and surveillance of such criminal tactics.
Meanwhile, police sources said that they are gathering evidence to verify whether Syed was connected to any organized group or whether he had previously targeted other girls under the alias “Ramesh.” Investigators are also reviewing his call records and online communication history.
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