A serious case of love jihad has come to light from Maharashtra’s Ulhasnagar, where a 27-year-old Hindu woman has filed a complaint against a Muslim man for hiding his identity, marrying her after posing as a Hindu, and later forcing her to follow Islamic customs after marriage. Police have arrested the accused, Imran Sheikh, along with his two brothers, while the investigation is still underway.
The man introduced himself as Vijay
According to the woman’s complaint, Imran Sheikh, who works at a garage, met her in 2019 and introduced himself as “Vijay”. The two later developed a relationship. She said that he took her to his native village in Bihar, where she came to know that his real name was Imran Sheikh.
The woman claimed that the marriage was then performed as per Muslim rituals and that she was not told his real Muslim identity earlier.
Claims of pressure to follow religious customs
The complainant said that after marriage, she was pressured to follow Muslim traditions against her wishes. She stated that she was made to wear a burqa and hijab, stop worshipping Hindu deities and follow Islamic customs.
She also claimed that she was pressured to consume beef, and Imran also made objectionable comments against Hindu gods and goddesses. According to her, Imran’s family members, including his parents and brothers, also forced her to follow these practices.
Harassment increased after childbirth
The woman told police that the situation became worse after the birth of their child. She further claims that Imran was ready to marry another woman. When she questioned him, he told her that he was allowed to marry more than once.
After returning to Ulhasnagar, she said she continued to face mental and physical harassment, following which she somehow managed to approach the police.
Case registered, three arrested
Based on her complaint, Central Police registered a case against Imran Sheikh, his brothers Salman Sheikh and Shahbaz Sheikh, their parents and two others under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including cruelty by husband and family, sexual harassment, hurting religious sentiments, cheating, criminal intimidation and intentional insult.
The three accused were presented before a court and have been sent to police custody. Police said further investigation is in progress.
