Naseema Khatoon – a resident of Purnia in Bihar – converted from Islam to Hinduism and married her friend Mahesh Sharma according to Hindu rituals at the Agastya Muni Ashram in Bareilly on 16th February. Naseema Khatoon has now become Meenakshi Sharma after marrying Mahesh. Naseema said that her first husband gave her triple talaq six months ago. Following the divorce, she faced pressure from her husband and in-laws to undergo the practice of halala. She has a one-and-a-half-year-old daughter from her previous marriage.
Naseema Khatoon and Mahesh Sharma connected through the social media platform Instagram. Mahesh resides in the Bareilly area of Uttar Pradesh. Their initial contact led to gradual conversations, developing into friendship, and eventually blossoming into love. Subsequently, they decided to tie the knot.
Naseema Khatoon travelled from Purnia to Bareilly for the marriage. In Bareilly, on 10th January 2024, she submitted an application to the District Magistrate expressing her desire to convert. Naseema, a 20-year-old divorced adult, stated that she is fully capable of discerning what is beneficial or detrimental for herself. Hence, she requested prompt processing of her application.
Naseema wrote in her application, “Due to the terror of the Mughal invaders, my ancestors had converted to Islam. But my faith is in Hindu Sanatan Dharma. I worship Hindu gods and goddesses. There is no respect for women in Islam. Evil practices like triple talaq and halala are prevalent. I want to voluntarily return home and embrace Hindu Vedic Sanatan Dharma.”
Naseema Khatoon legally converted to Hinduism. Then she reached Agastya Muni Ashram in Bareilly. There Naseema Khatun met Pandit KK Shankhdhar. He checked the necessary documents and performed Ghar Wapsi of Naseema Khatoon in Sanatan Dharma by performing Vedic rituals. Naseema got her new name Meenakshi. Then she married her friend Mahesh Sharma.
After marriage, Naseema is now afraid of her family. She has written a letter to the SSP of Bareilly seeking protection. In the letter available with OpIndia, Naseema has written that her family is not happy with her returning to Sanatan and marrying her lover. She wrote, “They are after me and my husband, and in-laws. They want to kill us. They are threatening to kill us.”
Naseema Khatoon said that she was married in Agra and had a daughter from her first marriage. Her husband gave her triple talaq six months ago over some minor domestic issue. After triple talaq, she was being forced to undergo the halala practice. When she opposed undergoing the halala practice, her in-laws and her husband threw her out of the house. After this, she was living with her parents. During this time, she came in contact with Mahesh Sharma on Instagram.
Notably, two days before Naseema Khatoon’s Ghar Wapsi, on 14th February, in Bulandshahr of Uttar Pradesh, a Muslim woman named Shahida did Ghar Wapsi and married her boyfriend Om Prakash. Now, she is known as Sharada. Shahida had already divorced her alcoholic husband. Shahida’s two minor sons will also now live according to the Hindu religion. Hindu organisations have helped Shahida in this Ghar Wapsi.
