A new case of love jihad has emerged in Chhattisgarh’s Bhilai district, where an 18-year-old Hindu woman eloped with a Muslim man last year. Following the incident, a sequence of episodes occurred, resulting in a tumultuous journey for the girl’s parents to get her out of what they call a ‘love jihad trap.’
Mokshika Verma, the daughter of Vandana and Purshottam Verma, has married a Muslim man named Majied, according to an exclusive Swarajya story. Mokshika’s parents are unhappy with the marriage, claiming that their daughter fell victim to a love jihad trap. They claim that their daughter is innocent and that Majied dodged her and persuaded her to marry and stay with him.
The beginning of the incident dates back to 2021 when Mokshika left her house with her lover Majied on July 8, last year. Her uncle, who works for the police, later tracked her down at a hotel in Bhilai. When back home, Mokshika’s parents tried to convince her to stay away from Majied but she didn’t listen to them. She continued to ignore her parents, and after repeated persuasion, she reacted by consuming phenyl and attempting suicide. Following this episode, her father took her to the police station, where she phoned Majied. On that day, her father severed all relations with her and informed her that she would never have a portion of his house or property. Mokshika walked away with Majied, stating she didn’t want anything from them.
However, after an emotional roller coaster, Mokshika’s parents consented to accept her in January of this year when she expressed her desire to meet them. Her mother claims that when she returned, they realised that she had changed. She used to like visiting temples, but she had stopped praying to God. Majied continued visiting her hometown, but her parents relocated her to Berala, a village near Bemtara where a relative of theirs lived. Atish Kumar Verma, Mokshika’s cousin, kept her company in the meanwhile and even tried to refocus her attention on her academics and profession.
Mokshika managed to contact Majied and returned to him in mid-February. On February 21, her parents filed a missing person’s complaint (number 11/2022) at Kandarka Police Station in Berala Tehsil of Durg district. Purshottam contacted the state women’s commission after weeks of following up with the police station yielded no results. Mokshika was summoned to the police station and stated that she wanted to live with Majied and did not want to return to her parents. The authorities let her accompany the man following her statement.
After some time, the worried parents contacted the Women’s Commission’s office once more. This time, they met with Dr Kiranmayi Nayak, the chairperson. She launched an inquiry after learning about their plight. On May 9, Mokshika and Majied were called to appear before the Durg sub-district magistrate. On 4 May, just before the summons, they married in an Arya Samaj temple in Raipur.
Majied Khan changed his name to Mohit Arya in order to marry Mokshika. On May 10, Mokshika posted a video on her Instagram account in which she stated that she married Majied of her own free will.
Mokshika posted photos of their marriage certificate and an FIR (number 538/2022) filed at Durg Kotwali on Instagram. Mokshika’s parents were charged under IPC sections 294 (sings, recites, or utters any obscene song, ballad, or phrases in or near any public place), 506 (criminal intimidation), 323 (voluntarily inflicting pain), and 34 (acts done by several persons with the same intention). Majied Khan is the one who had filed the complaint. It is worth noting that Majied had converted but continues to use his old identification.
Vandana describes the police’s treatment of her and her husband as “insensitive.” She claims she has lost communication with Mokshika and is concerned for her well-being. Mokshika’s father works at the Bhilai steel plant, and the family is well-off. The parents are anxious about their daughter’s future.
