Even after two decades, ‘Tere Naam’ remains one of Salman Khan’s most memorable films — not just for its emotional story but also for his iconic hairstyle. Now, Salman has revealed something surprising about that very look.
In the first episode of ‘The Great Indian Kapil Sharma Show’ (Season 3), the 59-year-old actor shared that his hairstyle in Tere Naam was actually inspired by none other than the former President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
“Ye Tere Naam ka jo look hai, woh actually inspired tha Abdul Kalam saab se,” Salman said during the chat with host Kapil Sharma. (My hairstyle in Tere Naam was inspired by Abdul Kalam Sir.)
He also mentioned that Rahul Roy had a similar hairstyle before, but for Tere Naam, he imagined a small-town character who would have long hair. “I thought that small-town heroes always had long hair. All the old-school heroes had it too – that’s where the inspiration came from,” he added.
Directed by the late Satish Kaushik, Tere Naam was released in 2003 and starred Salman as Radhe and Bhumika Chawla as Nirjala. It was a remake of the 1999 Tamil film Sethu, which originally starred actor Vikram. Though the film received mixed responses from audiences, it was remembered for Salman’s intense performance and its music. The film also marked Bhumika Chawla’s debut in Hindi cinema.
During the show, Salman also opened up about a recent incident in which a woman managed to sneak into Salman Khan’s home at Galaxy Apartments. The topic came up when Kapil jokingly asked him about fans showing up at his residence with suitcases. Salman confirmed that something like that had indeed happened recently.
“Yes, something like that recently happened. There were security guards outside. A woman told them she wanted to head up to the fourth floor, and she entered. She rang the doorbell, and our servant opened the door. The servant was shocked because the lady said, ‘Salman called me over.’ Obviously, the servant saw her and was sure I definitely didn’t call her. She was a fan, so she was escorted out,” said the ‘Sikandar’ actor.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On 21st June (local time), President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced that the US had attacked three nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan. In a post on social media platform Truth Social, Trump pointed out that all fighter jets returned safely and he congratulated the US armed forces for the attack.
He added, “There is not another military in the world that could have done this. Now is the time for peace.” With the attack on Iran’s nuclear sites, the US has officially entered the war with Iran.
Source: Truth Social
In a follow-up post, Trump warned Iran not to retaliate against the US. He said, “Any retaliation by Iran against the United States of America will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight.” The development came amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.
Source: Truth Social
Fordow and Natanz were Iran’s two primary uranium enrichment facilities. Israel had already hit Natanz with smaller weapons earlier this week. Esfahan is believed to be the site of Iran’s near-weapons-grade enriched uranium stockpile. Earlier on the night of 20th June (local time), several US B-2 stealth bombers took off from the Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri and were seen heading west, as per the flight tracking data. However, it is unclear if B-2 bombers were part of the attack on the nuclear sites in Iran.
As of Saturday, the aircraft were tracked flying over the Pacific Ocean and appeared to be heading towards Guam. According to media reports, B-2 bombers are uniquely equipped to carry the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, which is a 30,000-pound “bunker buster” bomb. It is believed that it is the only weapon capable of targeting the underground Fordow nuclear site in Iran. Each B-2 can carry two of these powerful bombs.
According to CNN, Trump had spent considerable time in the White House Situation Room reviewing military plans and asking advisers about potential outcomes before the attack. He had stated that a decision on military action could come sooner than the two-week window he previously mentioned.
It was the first time since Iran’s 1979 revolution that the US Air Force had launched attacks on key sites within the country. This attack is being considered an act of war. With this attack, Trump has directly involved the US military in an open conflict with Iran, which the previous US Presidents had reportedly deliberately avoided.
The weapons used by the US
According to the statement issued by Trump, the US military targeted three sites in Iran: Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan. Fordow is located in a mountainside south of Tehran. It is believed to be deeper underground than the Channel Tunnel connecting the UK and France. Because of its depth, it is not possible for Israel to attack the site. Only the US was considered to have the “bunker buster” bomb strong enough to destroy Fordow.
The GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) used by the US in the attack weighs around 13,000 kg and can penetrate 18 m of concrete or 61 m of earth before exploding. Fordow tunnels are believed to be 80 m to 90 m below the surface. Thus, even the MOP was not a guaranteed solution for the attack, but it was the closest possible solution. According to CBS, MOPs were used in the strike.
Impact on Iran
It is unclear what sort of damage the US strikes have done to the nuclear facilities. It is also unclear if there were any casualties or injuries. According to the Deputy Political Director of Iran’s state broadcaster, Hassan Abedini, Iran had already evacuated the three nuclear sites some time ago. In a statement, Abedini said, “Iran did not suffer a major blow because the material had already been taken out.”
Possibility of retaliation by Iran
During the Israeli attacks, Iran’s capabilities to strike were weakened. Also, the regional proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza and in Syria, have been significantly dismantled. However, Iran is still capable of initiating a strike that may cause considerable damage.
Iran had previously warned the US against getting involved in the regional war, as it would result in “irreparable damage”. It also threatened to target US bases in the region in retaliation. Notably, there are at least 19 regions in the Middle East, including in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Iran can also target the critical shipping route, Strait of Hormuz, that links the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean. Through this Strait, 30% of the world’s oil supply passes every year. Any attack on shipments on this route will have a catastrophic effect on the global oil market.
UN Secretary-General expressed concerns over US attacking Iran
In a post on social media platform X, Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, expressed concerns over the attack initiated by the US military on Iran. He said, “I am gravely alarmed by the use of force by the United States against Iran today. This is a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security. There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world. I call on Member States to de-escalate and to uphold their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law. At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos.
There is no military solution.
The only path forward is diplomacy.
The only hope is peace.“
Source: X
Notably, Israel attacked Iran on 13th June, targeting its nuclear and military sites under the codename ‘Operation Rising Lion‘. In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a large-scale drone and missile operation, ‘Operation True Promise 3’, and targeted Israeli fighter jet fuel production facilities and energy supply centres. It also attacked civilian establishments in which at least two Israelis were killed. Nine days after the first Israeli attack, the US officially entered the war.
The F-35 fighter jet of British Navy that made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram last Saturday remains stranded after a week. Initially it was reported that the jet was forced to make emergency landing due to low fuel, but later it has been revealed that the aircraft has suffered serious hydraulic damage, with possible engine issues.
Several teams of technicians have tried to repair the aircraft on site, but have not been successful. Now, it has been reported that a 30-member team will arrive in India to inspect the F-35 jet. As per reports, the team will have British and American technicians. This will include experts from Lockheed Martin Corporation, the American company that makes the F-35 jet.
A new 5-member team from UK arrived in Thiruvananthapuram yesterday to find out the technical faults of the aircraft. The earlier team, which included a replacement pilot, returned to UK after it was determined that the jet can’t fly on its own without major repair.
The new team will conduct detailed inspection of the jet, and based on their report, the bigger 30-member team will come. However, the team will most likely work on taking the jet back to Britain, not repair it in India.
The jet will be airlifted in a military transport aircraft, and for that, the wings of the F-35 will have to be removed. Any other extra items attached to the jet, like missiles, will also have to be removed. The bigger team will probably work on preparing the jet to load onto a transport plane, most probably the Boeing C-17A Globemaster III.
It is clear that the UK Navy does not want to dissemble the jet in India for repair, as it may reveal some of its top-secret technologies. So far, they have not let the jet out of their sight even for a moment. After the emergency landing, the pilot refused to go to the terminal, and sat near the jet until a team arrived on a helicopter few hours later.
Since then, the jet is parked in the open on Bay Number 4 of the airport, exposed to elements in monsoon rains. Indian authorities offered to move the jet to a hanger, but UK refused that. The British Navy does not want the F-35 to be moved to a facility of another country.
Indian side had also offered to build a temporary shed over the jet to protect it from elements, but this proposal was also rejected. These rejections make it clear that the British side wants to keep the jet under their constant watch, and don’t want it to be covered, which may result in someone gaining access to it. The British team has been provided accommodation at the emergency medical centre of the airport, from where the jet is visible.
The F-35 is currently being CISF personnel, and a ground handling agency has been assigned to look after the jet as per British Navy’s request.
The jet, part of HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier group of the Royal Navy, declared emergency on last Saturday night, and requested permission to land at Thiruvananthapuram airport, which was earmarked as the emergency recovery airfield. Notably, the British carrier group is currently deployed in the Arabian Sea, and recently took part in a joint drill with the Indian Navy.
A district and sessions court in Meghalaya’s Shillong on Saturday sent Sonam Raghuvanshi and Raj Kushwaha to 13 days of judicial custody in connection with the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case.
Superintendent of Police (SP) of East Khasi Hills district Vivek Syiem told ANI that Raghuvanshi and Kushwaha have been remanded to 13-day judicial custody.
Assistant Public Prosecutor Tushar Chanda also said the accused have been remanded to judicial custody since the police didn’t ask for custody.
“The court has remanded both the accused for 13 days of judicial custody. The police did not ask for custody. The Investigating Officer pleaded for judicial custody. The court granted 13-day judicial custody,” Chanda told ANI.
On Thursday, the district and sessions court sent the remaining accused — Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, and Anand — to 14-day judicial custody.
This development came after the Meghalaya Police arrested five people in connection with the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi, a newlywed who had come to the state on his honeymoon. Those arrested include his wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, and four others: Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, Raj Singh Kushwaha, and Anand. Raja Raghuvanshi’s body was found in a gorge near Sohra (Cherrapunji) on June 2.
Sonam was later found near a roadside dhaba along the Varanasi-Ghazipur highway. The couple, both residents of Indore in Madhya Pradesh, had gone missing during their honeymoon trip to Meghalaya.
Earlier, as part of its investigation, the Meghalaya Police SIT reconstructed the crime scene as part of their investigations into the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi. The murder scene was recreated by the SIT team in Sohra in the presence of the accused, Sonam Raghuvanshi, and three others.
SP Vivek Syiem said that the reconstruction of the crime scene was very successful as the police then “got a very clear picture.”
Detailing the reconstruction of the crime scene, SP Vivek Syiem said that one more machete used to murder Raja Raghuvanshi still needs to be recovered.
“The SIT visited several places to re-enact how the accused did it. We started from the parking lot where they had kept their two-wheelers. We went to the viewpoint, and ascertained who was standing where just before the murder. There were three blows – first by Vishal, second by Anand and the last blow by Akash. We have ascertained that one more machete still needs to be recovered. The accused replayed how they threw the machete. SDRF are trying to recover the second weapon,” he said.
Speaking to the media, SP Vivek Syiem also informed that Sonam Raghuvanshi and Vishal damaged Raja Raghuvanshi’s phone after the murder. “We have ascertained what happened to Raja’s mobile phone. Sonam damaged it, and then Vishal damaged it. This whole thing was played out, and also their exit from here,” he said.”We have ascertained that the victim was hit with the weapon. The first hit was by Vishal aka Vicky. When Raja was hit and blood came out, Sonam moved away from the spot. The three accused threw the body down,” he added.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On June 19, a Muslim woman and her baby were murdered in Kishanganj district of Bihar. The case is from Telibasti in Pothia police station area, where the brutal murder of 23-year-old Ansari Begum and her one and half year old daughter by slitting their throats was solved by the police within 24 hours.
Police arrested Ansari’s 55-year-old father-in-law Farooq Alam and 19-year-old brother-in-law Ehsan Alam. Both of them confessed to the crime during interrogation.
On June 19, police received information that the dead bodies of a woman and a girl were found in suspicious condition in their house. The police reached the spot and took the bodies in their custody. An FIR was registered on the complaint of the deceased’s father Nazimuddin. A special investigation team was formed to probe the case.
Investigation revealed that deceased Ansari Begum was married to the elder son of the accused father-in-law Farooq Alam 6 years ago. The elder son, Ansari Begum’s husband, died 2 years ago. Since then, father-in-law Farooq Alam was pressuring his widowed daughter-in-law Ansari Begum to have sex with him. However, she rejected his advances.
At the same time, Farooq Alam’s younger son Ehsan Alam was also trying to make her his wife. But she was not agreeing to him also, SP Sagar Kumar Jha said.
किशनगंज जिलांतर्गत पोठिया थाना क्षेत्रांतर्गत माँ–बेटी हत्याकांड का उद्भेदन महज 24 घंटों के अंदर करते हुए घटना में शामिल 02 अभियुक्तों को किया गया गिरफ्तार । pic.twitter.com/076w7lkoMk
— Kishanganj Police (@KISHANGNJPOLICE) June 20, 2025
Angry at Ansari’s repeated refusal, the two got angry and entered his room at night and killed the mother and daughter by slitting their throats with a sharp weapon. They then tried to make it look like a case of suicide. They locked the door from inside, got out of the house through a ventilator, and fled from the spot.
However, based on the investigation, the police nabbed both of them from Telibhitta in Tayabpur. The weapons and other evidence used in the murder were also recovered. Ansari’s Abu Nazimuddin has also accused the in-laws of threatening him.
In a horrifying incident a Hindu man was hacked to death by a group of Muslims in the Mukundwadi area of Sambhajinagar in Maharashtra on Thursday (19th June) night. Two others, including brother of the deceased sustained serious injuries.
According to reports, MIDC Cidco Police have arrested Mastan Qureshi alias Nanna (29), Samir Khan (19), Babar Shaikh (32), Sajid Qureshi alias Sajju (29) and Nasir Khan (20), who have been booked under relevant provisions of Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Prashant Swami said that the accused were granted bail on Friday after being produced before a special court set up under the SC, ST Act on ground of technical reasons.
What was the incident
Deceased Nitin Sonaji Sankpal, his brother Sachin Sonaji Sankpal and their friend Datta Balaji Jadhav were having dinner in a local eatery in the Mukundwadi area. After dinner, when Nitin went out to urinate behind a nearby chicken shop, Mastan Qureshi objected to it and a heated altercation ensued between the two. According to police, “The argument escalated, drawing in Sachin and Datta, who rushed out on noticing the commotion. A fight ensued between the three men and Qureshi. In a fit of rage, Qureshi allegedly grabbed a clever used for chopping meat and attacked all the three men.”
All three injured were rushed to the hospital where Nitin was declared dead while the other two sustained serious injuries.
Nitin had a friendly nature
Nitin and Sachin lost their father at a very young age. Their mother raised them single-handedly. Nitin ran a tea and egg stall near the Cidco bus stand and was fond of photography. He was known to have a friendly nature and was socially well-connected. Nitin is survived by his wife and three children. His brother Sachin, who worked in lift maintenance in Pune, has two children.
The Congress-led Karnataka government faces a monumental corruption scandal after a leaked audio recording featuring senior Congress MLA B.R. Patil revealed explosive allegations of systematic bribery in the allocation of state housing schemes, triggering fierce condemnation from BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla and opposition leaders.
Audio Exposes “Pay-to-Get” Housing Scheme
In the viral audio clip, authenticated by BR Patil himself, the Aland MLA is heard confronting Sarfaraz Khan—personal assistant to Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan—about rampant corruption within the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation Limited. Patil alleges officials deliberately ignored legitimate beneficiary recommendations from elected representatives, instead allocating houses to applicants who paid bribes. “Is this a business where only those who pay get houses?” Patil demands in the recording, citing specific irregularities in 950 houses across Aland, Afzalpur, and Hosapete constituencies. He shockingly warns, “If I open my mouth, the government will be shaken”. Patil later confirmed to media that officials demanded ₹25,000 per house allotment, branding the scam as widespread.
BJP’s Scathing Attack: “Khatakhat Jhoot & Loot Model
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla launched a blistering assault on the Congress government, linking the housing scam to a broader pattern of corruption. “Congress has only given Karnataka a khatakhat jhoot and loot model. First, false guarantees, now looting with both hands MUDA scam, liquor scam, rice scam, and now selling houses meant for the poorest,” Poonawalla declared.
He demanded an immediate CBI or judicial probe, stressing that the allegations originated from the ruling party’s own MLA, not the opposition. Poonawalla further lambasted the government’s recent withdrawal of general consent for CBI investigations, calling it the act of a “professional thief” aimed at shielding corruption.
Government in Damage Control Mode
Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan ordered an internal inquiry following the leak, while Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar claimed ignorance of the allegations. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, already embroiled in the MUDA land scam probe , faces mounting pressure. Opposition Leader R. Ashok demanded Khan’s resignation, while JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy asserted corruption was “continuous” across departments.
Political Fallout and Demands
The scandal strikes at Congress’s anti-corruption image, having previously accused the prior BJP government of “40% commission.” With Patil’s audio corroborating earlier claims by Congress MLA Basavaraj Rayaraddi that Karnataka is “number one in corruption,” the BJP has intensified calls for a High Court-monitored probe and Housing Minister Khan’s resignation.
On 17th June, a violent Muslim mob attacked Scheduled Caste Hindus in Gopinathpur village of Jagatsinghpur district in Odisha. According to an exclusive report by Hinduphobia Tracker, a group of local Muslims launched the assault following an unrelated theft incident from the previous night that happened in a Muslim-dominated area.
According to the reports, sacred Hindu symbols were desecrated, caste-based slurs were hurled, and numerous Hindu residents, including women and children, were brutally attacked with rods, sticks, steel pipes and sharp weapons.
Hinduphobia Tracker Exclusive: In Jagatsinghpur, Odisha, a violent Muslim mob attacked Hindus during preparations for the Raja festival. Over 100 Islamists brutally assaulted men, women & even children with rods, pipes, & weapons. A handicapped minor boy was also beaten. pic.twitter.com/744FXHJiHo
— Hinduphobia Tracker (@hinduphobia_tr) June 20, 2025
A Bajrang Dal functionary told Hinduphobia Tracker that the Hindu community was busy in preparations for the Raja festival, a traditional celebration in Odisha, when the incident happened. He described the assault as extremely brutal and noted that even Hindu women and small children were not spared. Among the victims, there was one handicapped minor boy who was brutally assaulted by the Muslim mob. While the attack happened on a Hindu community by the Muslim mob, police told Hinduphobia Tracker that there was no communal angle to the incident.
Details of the incident
An FIR was registered on the complaint of the victims at Biridi police station on 18th June under Sections 126(2), 115(2), 303(2), 351(3), and 324(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 3(5), 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s) and 3(2)(va) of the SC/ST Act against Raja Miyan, Siraj Alli, Sona Miyan, Kapil Suleman, Jani Miyan, Bahadul Alli and others.
According to the FIR accessed in the matter, on the morning of 17th June, residents of Sial Sahi were discussing arrangements for the festival when police arrived with a sniffer dog to investigate the previous night’s theft in the Muslim-dominant area. Around 100–200 local Muslims accompanied the police.
The Hindu residents cooperated fully with the investigation. However, the situation unexpectedly escalated and the accompanying Muslim mob quickly turned hostile. They launched a coordinated and violent attack on the Hindus.
They attacked Hindu men, women, and even children without any restraint. The attackers desecrated a Tulsi plant that had been decorated for the festival and vandalised a local Hindu temple at the community clubhouse. They threw stones at the temple and some assailants urinated near the sacred site in a deliberate act of desecration.
The Muslim mob hurled caste-based slurs and questioned the right of Dalit Hindus to worship or even reside in the area. They issued violent threats, including warnings to Hindu women not to step outside and threats to behead local Hindu men. The Muslim attackers snatched a gold ring from one of the Hindu women during the chaos. One young Hindu man, Hemant Bhoi, was dragged out from the temple and beaten in public view. Others, including Ashok Bhoi, Sanjay Bhoi, and Mani Bhoi, suffered serious injuries.
Though the police were present at the scene, the mob went on a rampage for over an hour, leaving dozens injured and traumatised. Later, members of the assaulted community contacted the Bajrang Dal, which assisted the victims to file the complaint.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Thursday reduced the sentence granted to a person convicted of raping a four-year-old girl, from capital punishment to rigorous life imprisonment saying that that his “act was brutal” but “he has not committed brutality”.
A bench of Justices Vivek Agarwal and Devnarayan Mishra wrote in the order passed on 19th June, “Looking to the above observations and discussions, in this case, no doubt that appellant’s act was brutal as he has committed rape upon the victim of four years and three months of age and after committing rape also throttled her treating her dead and thrown the victim in such a place where she could not be searched and left the spot but it is also clear that he has not committed brutality.”
Convict did not get a proper atmosphere to grow up: HC
While commuting his death sentence, the High Court took into consideration the background of the convict. The court noted that the convict was a poor, uneducated tribal, whose did not get a “proper atmosphere” to grow up.
“…he is uneducated youth of 20 years of age and belongs to the tribal community and his parents never tried to give him education and not properly take care of him, therefore he has left his house and was self-bread earner and living and working in a Dhaba (Restaurant). Atmosphere in the Dhaba is not such, by which it can be inferred that he was given the proper atmosphere to grow up. Hence, sentence imposed upon the appellant for the offence punishable under Sections 363, 450, 307, 201 of the Indian Penal Code is affirmed but his sentence for the offence punishable under Sections 6 of the POCSO Act is converted from Capital Punishment to the rigorous imprisonment of 25 years with the fine amount of Rs.10,000/- and in default of fine amount (actual incarceration without remission/commission under Section 432 and 433 of Code of Criminal Procedure), the appellant shall further suffer rigorous imprisonment of one year,” the Court noted while reducing his punishment.
The High Court observed that the aggravating circumstances in the case were the ages of the victim and the convict. “There are aggravating circumstances that the victim was four years old and the rape was committed upon such a kid and offence was committed in such a way that the private part of the victim was torn and after committing the offence, the victim was thrown in the solitary place treating her that she had died,” the judges said.
Background of the case
The convict, Rajaram, had challenged the conviction order passed the Special Judge (POCSO Act), District Khandwa, which sentenced him to death on 21 April 2023 under Section 6 of the POCSO Act. He was also convicted under Sections 363, 376AB, 307, 450, and 201 of the Indian Penal Code. On the day of the incident, Rajaram barged into the victim’s hut and kidnapped her. He brutally raped the child and then left her unconscious in a mango orchard believing her to be dead. However, the victim somehow survived.
In yet another incident that illustrates threats besieging Hindus in Pakistan, a court in the Sindh province has ordered two Hindu families to furnish a security bond of PKR 10 million (approx. ₹1 crore) each as a precondition to regaining custody of their minor children who were abducted and forcibly converted to Islam.
The damning details of the case highlights how Pakistani judiciary has been legitimising forced conversions of Hindus taking place in Pakistan, effectively empowering and encouraging radicals to carry on with the abduction of non-Muslims and bring them under the fold of Islam forcibly.
A Pakistani court has ordered two Hindu families to pay 1 crore rupees each as bond just to get custody of their minor children kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam
Court said the bond is to ensure the families do not make the kids revert to their old religion
The shocking judicial directive is a brazen attempt to whitewash forced conversions under a façade of legal procedure.
The case
The case, reported from the Sanghar district, involves three Hindu sisters and a male cousin, all of whom suddenly went missing earlier this year. Their families, belonging to the minority Hindu community, filed missing person complaints, strongly suspecting abduction.
Police investigations later located the children. They were discovered living with members of the Muslim majority and had reportedly converted to Islam. The families challenged this, citing coercion and abduction.
Court proceedings and ruling
When the matter reached court, the judges made the following observations:
Two girls, Diya and Jiya, were declared to be above 18, and the court ruled that they could not be forced to return to their families, citing “free will.”
The other two children, Dashina and Harjeet, were found to be minors.
While acknowledging the parental rights over minors, the court attached a controversial condition:
The families must deposit PKR 1 crore (10 million rupees) each as a bond to guarantee that they will not try to “reconvert” the children to Hinduism.
This condition, effectively criminalizing any return to their ancestral faith, has sparked outrage.
The Sanghar case lays bare the chilling reality of religious persecution in Pakistan, where kidnapping, forced conversions, and legal intimidation have become tools to erase minority identities. The imposition of financial bonds as a barrier to religious freedom for Hindu minors sets a dangerous precedent—one that codifies state-sponsored religious apartheid under the pretense of judicial order.
