A 37-year-old woman from Darbhanga, Bihar, has come forward to narrate her ordeal about how a man named Sikandar lured her into a relationship under false pretences, exploited her trust, and pressured her for religious conversion. The woman, who left her husband two years ago for Sikandar, is now seeking justice with her three children in her hometown. She alleged that Sikandar pretended to be a Hindu, proposed marriage, and later abandoned her after 18 months of living together.
Meeting Sikandar on Instagram led to drastic life changes
According to a Dainik Bhaskar report, the victim got married in 2010 and has three children. Her husband is a daily wage worker who worked long hours. After marriage, they moved to Vapi and then to Ahmedabad, Gujarat. In 2020, as her children’s education was taking place online during the lockdown, her husband bought a mobile phone for them. During that time, she became active on Instagram, where she came into contact with Sikandar. He claimed to be a Hindu and expressed romantic feelings for her.
As Sikandar gained her trust over time, he proposed marriage and promised that he would take care of her and her children. Convinced by his assurances, the woman decided to leave her husband in 2022. She took her three children and went to live with Sikandar. Initially, they resided in Dharavi, Mumbai, and later relocated to Kharghar. The woman recalled being introduced to a woman named Rubina. Later, she realised that Rubina might have been complicit in Sikandar’s schemes.
A year and a half of exploitation and abandonment
After moving to Mumbai to live with Sikandar, she was allegedly subjected to physical exploitation. He repeatedly coerced her to convert to Islam. The victim released a video narrating her ordeal, in which she said, “He insisted that I accompany him to a Maulvi for religious conversion and said he’d only accept me after I changed my faith.”
Initially, she dismissed his demands, thinking he was joking. However, over time, his intentions became clear, especially in September 2024, when he suddenly disappeared. She filed a complaint at the Kharghar police station, accusing Sikandar of luring her through social media, promising marriage, exploiting her, and fleeing with her jewellery and documents.
Left destitute and fighting for justice
In a statement, she said, “I am a daughter of Bihar who has been deceived by Sikandar Azam. He took my money and jewellery, leaving me with nothing. I am on the streets with my children.” She also discovered that Sikandar was already married and had concealed his Muslim identity. As Sikandar did not return, the woman decided to come back to Darbhanga to live with her relatives.
Her family is trying to mediate with her estranged husband and his family to find a possible solution. Despite filing a complaint four months ago, she said no action has been taken against Sikandar.
