Ghar Wapsi: Ayush Malik returns to Sanatan fold in Shamli
After a lot of turmoil and heartbreak expressed publicly by the Sanatani Hindu Malik family of Shamli over the coerced conversion of their only son to Islam, there has emerged a dramatic but positive twist in the case. In a significant development that has reignited discussions on interfaith relationships and religious conversions in Uttar Pradesh, Ayush Malik, their son and a young pharmacist, has announced his return to Hinduism.
The case, which first made headlines in early June 2026, involved allegations of love jihad, brainwashing, and an attempt to grab family property worth crores. After converting to Islam, marrying Chandni Qureshi, and living separately from his parents, Ayush has now voluntarily undergone the deconversion ritual of “Ghar Wapsi” (homecoming), citing his mother’s distress and his desire to live with his family. In a past interview to the media he had told that he and Chandni were also divorced and not staying together anymore.
A video released on the evening of June 29, 2026, shows Ayush performing puja at his family’s home temple in Dayanand Nagar, Shamli. He lights a diya for aarti, applies tilak to Bhagwan Hanuman, and touches his mother’s feet seeking blessings and forgiveness.
In the emotional message, he states:“Maa, aapki pareshani ko dekhkar main apni marzi se apne mool dharm, Hindu dharm mein wapas aa gaya hoon. Aap log mujhe maaf kar dena. Main apne maa-baap ke pyar ki chhaon mein rehna chahta hoon.”
Loosely translated, it means: “Mother, seeing your pain, I have chosen to come back home to my roots, to Hinduism, by my own free will. Please find it in your hearts to forgive me. All I want now is to be wrapped in the warmth and shelter of your love.”
He further clarifies that he had gone into Islam and changed his religion but returned of his own free will after seeing the pain caused to his family.
Ayush Malik, son of Devaraj Malik, a prominent chemist and president of the Shamli Chemists Association, holds a B-Pharma degree and helped run the family’s medical store, Bharat Medical Store.
Community leaders (Khaap) have welcomed his return and reiterated the importance of sincere dialogue with the youths who are being misled by the vested interests in society. Baba Rajendra Malik (Chaudhary Gathwala Khap) told IANS that he was sure Ayush Malik only needed to be spoken to to help him realise what was right and wrong.
According to police and family accounts, the story began around 5 years ago (approximately in the year 2021) when Ayush started visiting the “Qureshi Plus” gym, where Chandni Qureshi worked as a trainer.
Some reports mention their first meeting in 2022 at a physiotherapy centre for a leg injury that Ayush had supposedly suffered. Chandni, who comes from a modest background in the Qureshi basti (her father ran a juice cart, siblings worked in malls), reportedly presented herself as a person of affluence and began interactions with Ayush..
The two grew close, and are said to have wed in a Muslim style wedding – a secret nikah – about 5 years ago. Police investigations indicate that Ayush was later taken to Delhi in 2023, where he converted to Islam and adopted the name Mohammad Ali. A nikah ceremony reportedly took place in Delhi, though no marriage certificate has been recovered so far.
Following the conversion, Ayush distanced himself from his own family. He grew a beard, started offering namaz five times a day, wore a skull cap and kurta-pyjama, and even rented a house in Select Vihar colony to live with Chandni.
Family members alleged that Chandni and her relatives gradually brainwashed him, influenced him through financial favours, and used the relationship to target the family’s property.
The matter came to public attention on June 4, 2026, when Mahant Swami Yashveer of Yog Sadhna Ashram in Muzaffarnagar released a video highlighting the case. Hindu organizations protested, prompting Ayush’s father, Devaraj Malik, to file an FIR on June 6 at Shamli Sadar Kotwali.
The complaint named Chandni Qureshi, her father Islam Qureshi, other family members, and three maulvis, accusing them of unlawful conversion, cheating, and criminal intimidation under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Police arrested Chandni Qureshi, her father Islam Qureshi, and her brother Taufeeq (alias Bhola). Investigations revealed that Ayush was allegedly shown content from a Pakistan-based Muslim leader known for conversions, and large sums of money were reportedly taken from him.
The probe extended to Delhi and Mumbai. Devaraj Malik claimed the entire episode was a planned conspiracy to seize family assets.
Devaraj Malik has confirmed that his son has formally returned to Sanatan Dharma. The family maintained throughout that they are practicing Hindus, with daily temple visits and puja at home.
Ayush’s re-conversion to his original Dharma, Sanatani Hinduism the religion of his forefathers – has brought relief to the family after weeks of tension. In the video, Ayush appears composed while performing rituals alongside his parents.
This development comes amid ongoing legal proceedings.
With Ayush’s statement emphasizing voluntary return, it may influence the case trajectory, though police continue their investigation into the original conversion allegations.
The Shamli case has once again spotlighted debates around Uttar Pradesh’s anti-conversion law, which aims to curb conversions that apparently seem to have been heaped upon unsuspecting and hapless victims through force, fraud, or allurement, especially in the context of marriage. Similar cases in the state have fuelled political and social discourse, with Hindu organizations demanding stricter enforcement.
Ayush’s public apology and temple rituals have been widely shared on social media, drawing mixed reactions, support from those viewing it as a genuine family reunion, and scepticism from others questioning the circumstances, given the arrests and ongoing probe.
As of now, Ayush is staying with his family. Police sources indicate they may record his fresh statement regarding the sequence of events and his current decision.
The case remains under active investigation. Key questions persist: the exact nature of the relationship, financial transactions, the validity of the nikah, and whether any coercion was involved in the initial conversion or the recent return.
Authorities have not yet commented officially on how Ayush’s ghar wapsi will impact the charges against the accused.
For the Malik family, it marks an emotional homecoming. For observers, it underscores the complex intersections of love, faith, family, and law in modern India.
This episode serves as a reminder of the personal toll such controversies take on families. While Ayush has chosen to return to his roots, the legal process will determine accountability in the original allegations.
