'Love Jihad Being Carried Out On Large Scale To Systematically Target Hindu Girls': Bareilly Court, Sentences Muslim Man To Life

A Bareilly court recently sentenced a Muslim man to life imprisonment for repeatedly raping a Hindu girl and called 'Love Jihad' an act where Muslim men "systematically target" Hindu women for conversion to Islam through fraudulent marriages under the guise of love.

The Uttar Pradesh court defined 'Love Jihad' as a deliberate attempt by some 'anarchist elements' to establish dominance over India by waging what it termed a demographic war, potentially part of an international conspiracy.

In a 42-page order, Additional District and Sessions Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar elaborated that illegal conversions through 'Love Jihad' are part of a larger scheme and warned that if the Indian Government of "severe consequences."

Alleging that the crime of 'love jihad' is being carried out on a large scale by a rival gang i.e. syndicate, by brainwashing people belonging to the weaker sections of non-Muslims, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, and OBC communities, women and children.

These observations were made while sentencing Mohammad Alam to life imprisonment (for the remainder of his natural life) under Sections 376 (2)(n), 323, 504, and 506 of the IPC. His father was sentenced to two years of imprisonment under Section 504 IPC.

Alam recorded the act and then repeatedly blackmailed her, using the video as leverage, and forced her to accompany him to the hotel multiple times. When she became pregnant, her pregnancy was terminated.

He and his family even tried to force her conversion to Islam. When she resisted, she was allegedly assaulted. The court called this a case of 'Love Jihad' and noted that the actions of such individuals defame an entire religion.

The possibility of foreign funding in such cases was also acknowledged by the court. The court further directed that a copy of the verdict be sent to the Senior Superintendent of Police, Bareilly, to alert police stations across the district.

It emphasised the need to take action under the Uttar Pradesh Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act 2021 if such cases arise and instructed the Director General of Police and the Chief Secretary to ensure strict compliance with the 2021 Act across the state.