Days after an ISI-funded mass conversion racket was busted by the Uttar Pradesh ATS, another curious case of alleged religious conversion has come to the fore from Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut town. A man had reportedly gone to jail as a Hindu but returned as a Muslim. 46-year-old Tarachand was jailed for three years in connection with the murder of his wife’s lover. When he got out from behind bars on parole, Tarachand had become Tahir. He had grown a beard and started wearing a Muslim skullcap.
When Tarachand aka Tahir returned to his village, people began suspecting that he had adopted Islam in jail. Tarachand’s action attracted fierce criticism from the Hindus in the village. Fearing the wrath, Tarachand shaved off his beard and started telling those around him that he only offers Namaz but has not converted to Islam.
Tarachand started offering Namaz 5 times a day when lodged in Meerut jail
Reportedly when Tarachand was in jail, he shared his barrack with one Usman. Usman and his accomplice helped Tarachand in jail. Usman assisted him in his case and helped him seek his parole.
According to reports, Tarachand’s jail inmates stood by him when his own family abandoned him. None of his family members came to see him during the 43 months he spent in jail. It was Usman and his accomplice who supported him. Usman supposedly even provided financial assistance to Tarachand. This drew him closer to Usman and both became very good friends.
Tarachand’s jail inmate Usman, reportedly introduced him to Islam when the two were in jail. Under Usman’s influence, Tarachand started offering Namaz 5 times a day.
Hindi news daily, Nav Bharat Times, quoted Tarachand as saying: “I’ve been visiting temples and mosques. What’s wrong with that? God cannot be two. It is only one. What difference does it make which approach we take.”
Meerut jail administration say Tarachand did not adopt Islam legally in jail
The jail administration has, however, refuted the allegations that Tarachand went through religious conversion in jail. Brijesh Singh, the Circle officer posted in Kithore, one of the five assembly constituency in Meerut district, also asserted that Tarachand did not convert his religion legally while in jail.
Tarachand tries to brainwash villagers to adopt Islam
Meanwhile, there are allegations that Tarachand, out on parole, has been trying to brainwash people in his village to adopt Islam. Whenever questioned about Islam, Tarachand is of the opinion that in Islam, people are united and stand by each other. Moreover, according to a report by news portal Webdunia, Tarachand often questioned: “How can an idol kept in a Mandir, which cannot protect itself, protect someone else?”
Notably, Tarachand, a resident of Maukas village of Mundali police station area, worked as a driver, when he came in contact with one Mohammed in 2015. The two worked together for almost two years. Tarachand claims that he was drawn towards Islam when he came in contact with Mohammad. He said that he had offered Namaz for the first time in Guwahati when the duo went to Assam.
After Tarachand’s case came to the fore, the intelligence agencies are probing whether the Uttar Pradesh religious conversion racket has its roots in the jails of the state. Demands are also being made to investigate how and from where Tarachand has been getting funds to fight his case in court.