Muzaffarnagar: Tensions and protests have erupted following the discovery of an alleged abduction and forced religious conversion case in the Bhopa police station area of Muzaffarnagar district, Uttar Pradesh. The victim, Rakesh Sharma from Haridwar, was reportedly taken away as a minor by a man identified as Afsar and made to work at his residence in Sikri village for nearly 15 years.
Recent allegations claim that Sharma was pressured to convert to Islam. Police have arrested four accused, Afsar, Salman, Danish and Anas, in connection with the case.
According to the complaint, the accused took Sharma to a mosque in Bhokarkhedi, where they allegedly forced him to offer namaz and attempted to record videos with the intent of circulating them on social media to incite communal tensions. Sharma has also alleged that he was forced to consume beef, coerced into conversion, and made to perform religious practices against his will. Visuals purportedly showing him praying inside a mosque were reportedly shared online.
Following the incident, members of the Hindu Sangharsh Samiti staged protests and approached the Bhopa police, demanding strict action. Authorities have registered a case under Sections 140(4), 353(2)(3) and 61(2)(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021.
Senior Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kumar Verma stated that the investigation began after a complaint of forced conversion and is currently ongoing, with further action to be taken based on findings. Meanwhile, the Hindu Sangharsh Samiti has alleged that such incidents may be part of a larger, coordinated effort involving forced conversions and has called for a detailed probe into possible networks and funding sources.
