A case involving allegations of trapping a woman in a relationship, religious conversion and later abandonment has emerged in Tamil Nadu. A 27-year-old woman, Suganya, alias Safa Mariyum, has alleged that she was trapped in a “love jihad” by a man named Syed Ibrahim from Choolaimedu.
In the case on hand that happened in Chennai recently, the 27-year-old woman Suganya, alias Safa Mariyum, was allegedly trapped in a fake love by a man named Syed Ibrahim from Choolaimedu. Syed Ibrahim ran a textile business with multiple branches across Chennai. Suganya joined one of these branches as an employee, which is how she was introduced to him.
Later, he proposed to Suganya, allegedly forcing her to convert to Islam and marry him. Following her conversion, their relationship lasted for nine years. Her name was changed to Safa Mariyum, who alleged that he had been in a relationship with her, cheated her and then abandoned her to marry someone else.
Refused to Marry the Converted Girl
Their relationship became bitter after nine years when Syed decided to marry another woman on May 20 this year. It is learnt that Syed reportedly took nearly Rs 13 lakh from Safa Mariyum and sexually exploited her multiple times under false promises of marriage. Safa Mariyum learned about Syed Ibrahim’s upcoming wedding preparations through a client. When she confronted him, he allegedly threatened to commit suicide if she revealed the truth to his family. It is also alleged that Syed Ibrahim is backed by certain Islamic Jamaath functionaries, whose support allegedly gave him the confidence to pursue another marriage.
Complaint Filed by the Victim
Upon learning about the wedding preparations, she filed a complaint at the Arumbakkam Women’s Police Station on May 6, 2026. She claimed that the police department tortured her by repeatedly shuffling her between the commissioner’s office and various stations. By midnight on May 19, she still had not received any assistance from the police to stop the marriage. Consequently, she decided to take matters into her own hands.
Arrest of Love Jihad Victim
On May 20, accompanied by a group of Muslim individuals and Naxalite activist Valarmathi, she visited the marriage hall in Royapuram to confront Syed Ibrahim and prevent the marriage. Within ten minutes, Royapuram N1 Police Station Inspector Chidambaram Bharathi and his team arrived at the marriage hall and ordered them to leave.
The team allegedly did not hear the woman’s version. Instead, the Inspector allegedly entered into a heated argument with Safa, resulting in her arrest and the removal of all the women, including Naxalite activist Valarmathi, who had accompanied her. During the incident, an individual named Abdul Kaleel was reportedly assaulted by the police. Videos relating to the incident later went viral on social media.
TVK MLA Intervention
Learning of the incident, local DMK functionaries and TVK advocates gathered at the scene to speak on Safa Mariyum’s behalf. The TVK advocates brought the matter to the attention of TVK MLA Dhamu, who promptly arrived at the spot to speak with Safa Mariyum and the police department.
When Inspector Chidambaram Bharati allegedly insulted the MLA, TVK MLA Dhamu contacted Assistant Commissioner (AC) Bhaskaran over the phone and requested him to come to the spot.
AC Bhaskaran assured them that action would be taken regarding Safa Mariyum’s complaint and that an inquiry would be conducted into Chidambaram Bharathi’s alleged indecent behaviour. Chennai Police later removed Royapuram Police Station Inspector Chidambaram Bharathi to the vacancy reserve (VR) list following the altercation at the wedding hall and an inquiry into the incident.
Reaction from Muslim Elements
A Muslim activist named Mohammad Ghouse, former vice-president of the Welfare Party of Tamil Nadu, reportedly played a major role in bringing the issue to public attention.
On May 15, he organised a press conference at the commissioner’s office alongside Safa Mariyum, allowing her to explain her ordeal publicly. He also stood by her at the police station in her pursuit of justice and launched the trending social media hashtag #JusticeForSafaMariyum. It reportedly prompted many other Muslim activists to extend support to Safa Mariyum.
In response, the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi issued a statement condemning Inspector Chidambaram Bharathi for his actions against her.
A notable aspect of this case is that despite allegedly being cheated by a Muslim man and converting for love, Safa Mariyum did not abandon her new religion. She maintained her identity as a Muslim, continuing to use the name Safa Mariyum and wearing a burqa throughout the ordeal.
ROYAPURAM POLICE INSPECTOR TRANSFERRED TO VACANCY RESERVE
Royapuram police inspector Chidambara Bharathi was transferred to Vacancy Reserve (VR) without a posting after a controversy erupted over his handling of a protest staged by a 27-year-old woman at a marriage hall in… pic.twitter.com/coMwFFvfEt
— A Selvaraj (@Crime_Selvaraj) May 22, 2026
Suganya, alias Safa Mariyum, is cited by critics as an example of “how women are trapped”, alleging that Syed Ibrahim entered the relationship solely with the motive of conversion.
This is reportedly not an isolated incident limited to Tamil Nadu. Similar cases are emerging across the country with what critics describe as a similar pattern — trapping non-Muslim girls in relationships, converting them and later abandoning them.
Critics argue that such cases are the result of poor understanding of radical Islamist ideologies and their agenda. An unfortunate aspect, they say, is that many victims are educated professional women who are allegedly less informed about radical Islamist designs.
