2 booked under MP’s new anti-conversion law, 1 nabbed from Uttar Pradesh

Mandsaur, February 9

Madhya Pradesh Police have registered a case against two men under the state’s new law which penalises religious conversions through fraudulent means, an official said on Tuesday.

The accused allegedly used fake names to lure two minor girls from Mandsaur in MP on the pretext of marriage, raped them and asked them to convert their religion, he said.

One of the accused was arrested last week from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, the police said.

A 16-year-old girl initially became friends with one of the accused after she received a call from an unknown number on her mobile phone, Suwasra police station’s sub- inspector Ritesh Damor said.

Later, she persuaded her 15-year-old friend living in the neighbourhood to run away from home with her.

Both the girls left their homes on February 1 following which their parents filed a missing complaint at Suwasra police station, the official said.

While searching for them, a team from Suwasra police station reached Delhi and got some clues about the location of the girls.

The police team subsequently traced the girls to a room at Chandpur village in UP’s Bijnor district last week, the official said.

During questioning, the 16-year-old girl said she befriended a man, who had identified himself as Akash, after receiving a call from him about months back, Damor said.

Later, theman called the girl and her friend to come to Bijnor on the pretext of marriage.

The girls were allegedly raped and detained by the man and his friend, he said.

The official said the girls also alleged that they were told to convert their religion for marriage.

The girls also said they later found that Akash’s real name was Irfan, he said.

During the police raid in Bijnor last week, Irfan fled while his friend and co-accused Sahil (19) was arrested, the official said.

A case has been registered against both the accused under sections for rape and abduction and provisions of the new anti-conversion law, he said.

The Madhya Pradesh government last month promulgated the Freedom of Religion- 2020 ordinance which penalises religious conversions by use of misrepresentation, allurement, use of threat of force, undue influence, coercion or marriage or by any other fraudulent means.

It provides for 10 years in jail in some cases. — PTI

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