KOCHI: The Kochi City Police Commissioner on Tuesday told the High Court that Sruthi, who married a Muslim, embraced Islam on her own. Kochi City Police Commissioner M P Dinesh filed the affidavit in response to a habeas corpus plea filed by Sruthi’s husband Anees Hameed, of Kannur. When the case came up for hearing, the court orally observed that all inter-religious marriages could not be termed ‘love jihad’ or ‘Ghar Wapsi’. The court reserved its order on the plea. Sruthi had alleged she was forcibly admitted to Siva Sakthi Yoga Centre, Kandanad, and tortured from June 22 to August 21 by Manoj, president of the centre, and staff.
She was wrongfully confined at the yoga centre and assaulted and threatened by them. Forcible pregnancy test of the inmates was also conducted, she submitted.According to the police, Sruthi eloped with her colleague Anees to Sonipat, Haryana, on May 16. After tracing her, the Kannur police produced her before the Magistrate Court. She was allowed to go according to her will and it was directed to produce her back after two days. She had left the court along with her parents. On the same day, she was brought to Siva Sakthi Yoga Centre and admitted there. Following a complaint by Sruthi alleging torture at the centre, a case was registered and Sruthi’s statement recorded. A search was conducted at the yoga centre and evidence collected.
The police said another crime was registered against the centre under section 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 342 (wrongful confinement), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with the intent to outrage her modesty) and several other offences under the IPC. It was revealed Sruthi embraced Islam from a madrassa at Arbia, Fathepur, Delhi, and changed her name to ‘Aaliya.’
Later her marriage with Anees was solemnised at Fathepur Masjid, Chandini Chowk, Delhi, on the same day. The conversion, according to her, was on her own, the police said.The investigation against the centre was progressing and nine accused had been identified thus far in the case, the affidavit said.
‘1,500 Christian girls converted’
Christian Help Line of Kochi, which approached the court seeking to implead in the case, submitted that more than 1,500 Christian girls had been converted to Islam through ‘love jihad’ till date. It was confirmed that more than five Christians had been converted and sent to Syria to join the IS and more than 100 girls were missing, it said.
I was a victim of ‘love jihad’: Athira
V P Athira, who returned to Hinduism after being converted to Islam, submitted before the High Court that she was a victim of ‘love jihad’ and was taken to Sathya Sarani, an organisation functioning for converting persons to Islam and recruiting them to IS. “After conversion to Islam, I attended the class conducted by the yoga centre and after coming to know about the follies of Islam, I decided to come back to Sanadhana Dharma,” Athira said in the affidavit.