On Thursday, September 30, Jaunpur police lodged a case against one Mohammad Shalik for assaulting and forcing his brother’s son and daughter-in-law to convert to Islam. The case was registered under IPC sections 504, 506 and sections 3 and 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020, based on the complaint filed by the victim, Manita Prajapati.
Manita Prajapati is a resident of Majdeeha village, which falls under the limits of Shah Ganj Kotwali in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh. Manita Prajapati approached Shah Ganj Kotwali with her written complaint on September 30. In her complaint, Manita alleged that her deceased’s father-in-law’s brother has been forcing her and her husband Jitendra Prajapati to convert to Islam.
At first, Mohammad Salik tried to lure Manita Prajapati and her husband into adopting the religion through immoral inducements. When they refused, he started torturing them mentally and physically. He also assaulted Jitendra Prajati frequently to exert pressure on the family.
The victim further alleged that Mohammad Salik had previously attempted to murder her husband for refusing to comply with his demands.
According to Manita Prajapati, her husband’s uncle had converted 25 years ago, when he moved to Saudi Arabia to earn a living. After he came back, he started exerting pressure on Manita Prajapati’s father-in-law Lorik Prajapati to adopt Islam. Lorik did not succumb to the pressure and blatantly refused to convert his religion.
After Lorik Prajapati’s death, Salik began to exert pressure on his brother’s son and his family. On many occasions, Salik threatened to grab the entire property. He also kept threatening them with life if they did not listen to him and adopt Islam.
Manita Prajapati, fed up with the pressure, approached the police with a complaint against Mohammad Salik. The victim alleged that initially, the police did not accept her complaint. They refused to take action in her case. However, after the intervention of the Superintendent of Police, Kotwali police sprung into action. A case was registered under relevant sections of the IPC and the Uttar Pradesh anti-conversion law and the accused was arrested.
