In Jafarabad, a Muslim-dominated area in the Balrampur district of eastern Uttar Pradesh, a Hindu woman has filed a complaint against her Muslim neighbours for allegedly pressurizing her to convert to Islam.
On Monday, an FIR was filed against the seven accused identified as Shahajadi, Moharma, Sahiba, Amirzade, Irfan, Sonu and Afreed under relevant sections, including the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021.
According to the FIR, complainant Deepa Nishad has alleged that Muslim women spit on a temple built in her house and said that “your temple has been desecrated, now you have become Muslim.”
In her complaint, Deepa Nishad alleged that the neighbouring Muslim families harass her to convert to Islam, and she was also being pressurised to sell her house or leave the locality. Nishad allegedly was also receiving death threats for the same.
Acting upon Deepa Nishad’s complaint, Balrampur has so far arrested three women accused (Shahajadi, Moharma, and Sahiba).
Victim Deepa Nishad stated that her home is surrounded by Muslim families’ homes. Amirzade and Irfan, two of the seven accused, frequently threatened to kill her if she did not convert to Islam or sell her house and leave. In her complaint, the victim also claims that the accused Irfan, Sonu, and Afreed repeatedly threatened and assaulted her and her family members for refusing to convert to Islam.
Circa: 2022
— Ritu #सत्यसाधक (@RituRathaur) December 28, 2022
In Secular New India..
Darra hua mzlmans dragging & beating up a hindu woman for
refusing to convert to Izlam
Balrampur, UP pic.twitter.com/Uc3oRAoNeZ
Recalling the incident that took place on December 17, Deepa said that she and her sister were beaten. Accused Amirzade also gave his mobile number to Deepa and pressurised her to talk to him over call.
Moreover, the accused Muslim women would often spit on the temple inside victim Deepa’s house and sometimes throw water.
As per an India Today report, victim Deepa has released videos of Muslim women hurling abuses at her and threatening her family.
Reportedly, all the accused women denied pressuring the Hindu victim to change her religion. However, when the video of them spitting on the temple was shown to them, they had no answer.
Tulsi Ram, Deepa Nishad’s brother, reportedly claimed that he was being pressured by his Muslim neighbours to drop the case. He also stated that he was recently attacked while returning home.
In a video byte tweeted by Balrampur Police, Balrampur Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajesh Kumar Saxena said “a woman has alleged that her neighbours have pressured her to change her religion, sell her house, assaulted her and her family for refusing to do so.”
#BalrampurPolice
— BALRAMPUR POLICE (@balrampurpolice) December 28, 2022
थाना रेहरा बाजार पुलिस द्वारा थाना स्थानीय पर पंजी0 मु0अ0सं0 257/22 धारा-147/323/506/295 भा0द0वि0 व 3/5(1) उ. प्र. विधि विरुद्ध धर्म संपरिवर्तन प्रतिषेध अधिनियम 2021 से सम्बन्धित 03 अभियुक्त गिरफ्तार
उक्त प्रकरण के संदर्भ में #SPBalrampur की बाइट pic.twitter.com/xk2qk7wuH2
“Three accused women have been arrested and efforts are being made to arrest the other four accused,” SP Saxena added.
In another tweet, Balrampur police informed that a case has been registered under Section-147, 323, 506, 295 of the Indian Penal Code and the Law Against Religion Conversion Prohibition Act 2021.
#BalrampurPolice
— BALRAMPUR POLICE (@balrampurpolice) December 28, 2022
प्रकरण के संबंध में थाना रेहरा बाजार बलरामपुर पर मु0अ0सं0 257/22 धारा-147/323/506/295 भा0द0वि0 व 3/5(1) उ.प्र. विधि विरुद्ध धर्म संपरिवर्तन प्रतिषेध अधि0 2021 पंजी0 करते हुए अभियुक्तगण गिरफ्तार कर।मा0न्यायालय के समक्ष प्रस्तुत किया गया जहाँ से उन्हे जेल भेजा गया।
“In relation to the case M.A. No. 257/22, Police Station Rehra Bazar Balrampur, M.A. registered FIR under section-147/323/506/295 of I.P.C. and Law Against Religion Conversion Prohibition Act 2021 and arrested the accused. The arrested accused were presented before the honourable Court from where they were sent to jail,” Balrampur Police tweeted.
