Tensions and protests have been sparked by the discovery of a grave case of abduction and forced religious conversion in the Muzaffarnagar district’s Bhopa police station area in Uttar Pradesh. Rakesh Sharma, from Haridwar, was taken away by Afsar and made to work at his residence in Sikri village for roughly 15 years. The incident happened when the victim was a minor. Now, recent allegations have surfaced in relation to pushing him to embrace Islam. Afsar, Salman, Danish and Anas have been arrested by authorities.
The four perpetrators brought the Hindu man to a mosque in the town of Bhokarkhedi, where they tried to pressure him to offer namaz. They wanted to record videos of the same with the intention of making it viral to foster enmity and discord between different communities. According to Sharma, he was made to eat beef, converted and told to perform namaz against his will. Visuals which featured him praying inside a mosque was also shared on social media.
Afterwards, Hindu activists intervened and members of the Hindu Sangharsh Samiti approached the Bhopa police station to demand strict action in the matter. The police filed a case against the accused under sections 140(4), 353(2)(3) and 61(2)(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), in addition to the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021. Afsar was caught on 19th April while the other three were nabbed on 21st April.
The investigation was started after a complaint of forced conversion, according to Senior Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kumar Verma who mentioned that the issue is under probe and more steps will be taken in light of the findings. On the other hand, Hindu Sangharsh Samiti has charged that such instances are part of a broader coordinated operation involving forced conversions. They have called for an extensive examination into potential networks and financing sources for these kinds of activities.
