On 28th February, Haridwar police arrested a man named Afsan for posing as Arsh and allegedly sexually exploiting a Hindu woman on the pretext of marriage. When the woman discovered his true identity, he attempted to abduct her and force her to convert to Islam. However, she managed to escape and contacted Hindu organisations, who helped her file a complaint with the police.
Speaking to the media, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Pramendra Doval said that Afsan had been arrested based on the victim’s complaint and that further investigation into the matter was underway. The victim has sought police protection, stating that she fears for her life from the Muslim man and his family.
OpIndia accessed the FIR filed in the case.
The FIR has been registered at Kankhal Police Station under Section 3 of the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act and Sections 142, 190, 191(2), 351(3), and 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to the FIR, the 21-year-old victim came into contact with 30-year-old Afsan at a gym. Afsan, who was wearing a tilak at the time, introduced himself as a Hindu man named “Arsh”. As their friendship grew, Arsh proposed marriage to her and sexually exploited her by giving false hopes. When the victim pressed him for marriage, he asked her to convert to Islam.
Upon realising that his real name was Afsan and that he lived in Godewali village, the victim refused to marry him. After that, Afsan allegedly came to her house with his uncle and pressured her to convert to Islam. On 27th February, at around 8:30 PM, Afsan asked her to meet him at Khokhra Tihara Jamaalpur Kalan. When she arrived, Afsan, his father Bhura, his uncle, and two unidentified men were present. They attempted to abduct her and force her into a car but failed. While fleeing the scene, they issued death threats to the victim and claimed they would convert her to Islam by any means.
The SSP told the media that the accused repeatedly raped her on the pretext of marriage and pressured her to convert to Islam. The accused has been sent to judicial custody, and the police have assured strict action against those involved in the matter. The victim’s statement under Section 164 has been recorded.
Uttarakhand CM instructed police to take strict action in similar matters
The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami, held a meeting with senior police and administrative officials in June 2023, where he instructed them to take strict action in cases where Muslim men reportedly hid their identities to befriend and exploit Hindu women. The CM’s instructions came after several such cases were reported in Chamoli, Haridwar, Uttarkashi, and other districts in the state.
