UP family in search of ‘justice’ converts

Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, October 2

At least six members of a Muslim family in Baghpat district have taken to Hinduism. On Monday, they submitted affidavits to the Baraut SDM in this regard. Baghpat District Magistrate Rishirendra Kumar said some members of a Muslim ‘Nat’ family in Badarkha village had converted into Hinduism of their “own free will” and that a local youth had held a ‘havan’ to complete the conversion ritual.

He said the family had been upset at the death of a member, who was believed to have committed suicide. “They were going to quietly bury him when a neighbor alerted the police and a postmortem examination was done. Later, the family claimed it was murder and filed an FIR through courts. The case is pending.”

The head of the family, Akhtar Ali, said they had found the body of his son Gulshan Ali hanging from a hanger in their shop. “It was obvious he had been murdered. He could not have died by hanging from a hanger.” The accused in the case too are Muslims. Nonetheless, Ali claimed: “Unable to get justice, we decided to convert to Hinduism.”