An incident of forced religious conversion has emerged from Sanjay Gandhi Nagar, Naubasta in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The family of a class 11 student has alleged that the boy’s classmates brainwashed him and converted him to Islam.
According to reports, the victim, Vansh Gupta’s family claimed that a plot was hatched by three Muslim children studying in his school Kidwai Nagar in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh to force their child to adopt Islam.
The victim’s father, Rakesh Kumar Gupta, told authorities that his son had begun reading Kalma and visiting local Islamic shrines. The family discovered Islamic literature scribbled in his notebooks as well. According to the family, the boy had penned accolades for various Mughal kings, including Akbar and Jahangir. In addition, Hazrat Ali and Allah-hu-Akbar were found written in his copies. If family members are to be believed, they once found him offering Namaz for which they chastised him.
On September 22, Thursday, the child reportedly ran away from his home due to rising pressure from family members to stop following Islam.
The father said that after the child did not return home until late evening on Thursday, they began searching for him in nearby localities. Unable to trace him, the worried family members sought the assistance of the Bajrang Dal. The members of the Hindu outfit approached the Hanumant Vihar police station for their help to bring the child back.
On receiving the complaint, the police launched a manhunt. They monitored the child’s whereabouts, which led them to the Mathura Railway Station. The police with the help of the Government Railway Police (GRP) in Jaipur apprehended the child and brought him back. The police revealed that the child was trying to flee to Ajmer.
The police checked his school bag and found religious writings in the books. Bajrang Dal activist Dilip Bajrangi and his companions, who are helping the family in getting the child back, said Vansh was brainwashed.
The police further revealed that the student was influenced by activities relating to Islam that he saw on social media. The student’s family members have also accused a Maulana in the case, but the police have yet to find any evidence against Maulana. According to police, the student left the house after becoming upset by the family’s opposition.