A case of ‘Love Jihad’ has come to light from East Champaran, Bihar where the modus operandi resembles with that highlighted in the ‘The Kerala Story’ movie. Notably, on Saturday (20th April 2024), the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) arrested a married man named Sameer Alam who was accompanied by a minor Hindu girl who hails from the Dalit community.
26-year-old Sameer Alam is accused of marrying the minor girl under false pretenses and subsequently luring her to accompany him to Nepal. As per reports, Sameer has been earlier accused of selling non-Muslim girls after converting them to Islam.
According to media reports, a 17-year-old Hindu girl from Narkatiaganj, Bihar, frequently visited her friend Salma Khatun’s house. One day, she attended a wedding ceremony with Salma, where she encountered Sameer Alam. Sameer made persistent attempts to converse with the girl, but she refused. Despite her refusal, Sameer continued to pursue her. When the girl went to school, he frequently attempted to approach her.
After a few days, the victim started to talk to Sameer. However, Sameer didn’t disclose that he was Muslim. In their conversation, which started just two months ago, Sameer started insisting on taking the girl to his house. At first, she refused but later agreed on the condition of returning quickly. When the victim left for school, she went straight to Sameer’s house. It is alleged that many women were present there, and in their presence, Sameer tried to apply vermillion to the victim’s forehead, a ritual symbolising marriage in Hindu customs.
The victim informed the police that she quickly realized she had been trapped. Following the marriage, Sameer confined her to his house, forbidding her from going outside. When the victim attempted to escape twice, she was apprehended. Her phone was also confiscated. On one occasion, when she secretly attempted to call her home from Sameer’s phone, she was scolded severely.
Meanwhile, Sameer had begun plotting to sell the girl in Nepal. To carry out his plan, he offered to take her to the Raxaul market one day. Sameer Alam was escorting the girl towards the Nepal border when Inspector Manoj Kumar Sharma of the 47th Battalion of the SSB stationed at the border caught sight of them. Feeling suspicious, he questioned Sameer. The way Sameer spoke only heightened his suspicions. When he spoke to the girl, she remained silent and did not reveal anything.
Afterwards, Inspector Manoj Sharma brought Sameer and the victim to the police station. They later recovered many objectionable videos and photos from Sameer’s mobile. The Investigation also revealed that Sameer Alam, a native of Bettiah and son of Mohammad Guddu Miyan, was accused of trafficking a minor girl from the Dalit community on 11th May 2022.
Back then, a case was registered against him under sections 363, 366, 376, 370, POCSO Act 03 (2) and ST, SC Act in Pratapgarh. According to reports, Sameer is said to be already married and father of one child.
On further interrogation, Sameer Alam confessed that he intended to take the minor girl with him to Nepal to sell her there. On the question of going to jail again for trafficking a Dalit girl, Sameer Alam told the police, “No problem, I will go to jail again, then I will come out on bail.” Eventually, when the secret was revealed, the minor victim also exposed Sameer Alam’s deceit to the police and SSB.
Subsequently, Ranjit Singh, a social worker from Raxaul lodged a police complaint against Sameer Alam. Based on this complaint, Sameer Alam has been booked under sections 363, 366, 376, and 370 of the IPC and POCSO Act as well as the SC/ST Act and Child Marriage Act.
He has been arrested and sent to jail. The victim’s family has been informed. The police are actively investigating the case.
