DEHRADUN: An Uttarakhand man from the Hindu community, who married a Muslim woman from Delhi, has charged the latter's family with forcing him to convert, assaulted him and forged documents related to their marriage and child.
According to the complaint filed by Vivek Singh, he was in a relationship with Yasmeen while working in Delhi. He alleged that Yasmeen had initially told him she followed Sanatan Dharma and regularly visited temples. Singh claimed that after learning she was Muslim, he refused to marry her.
However, after Yasmeen's family assured him that the marriage would be conducted according to Hindu rituals, he agreed to the alliance. Singh claimed they got married in Gangolihat on March 24, 2020, as per Hindu customs.
In his complaint, Singh alleged that he later discovered a nikahnama had been prepared by changing identity details. He further alleged that after the birth of their son in 2022, the child was circumcised without his knowledge and documents were prepared to change the child's name.
“Gradually, pressure was allegedly mounted on me and my family to change our religion,” Singh said in his complaint.
He further alleged that he was mentally, socially and financially harassed after his wife and son were called to his in-laws' residence. According to the complaint, his wife Yasmeen, her parents Sakir Ali and Sajo Bano, and two others, Parvez and Firoz allegedly pressured him to accept Islam and threatened him and his family when he resisted.
Singh also alleged that he was assaulted on April 14 and May 5. He claimed that on May 8, he left with his son and returned to Gangolihat. However, he alleged that Firoz later came to his house and threatened to kill his family and harm the child if he did not convert.
Singh has sought an investigation into what he described as a possible organised conversion network and requested police to examine the financial sources of the accused and their associates.
Based on the complaint, Pithoragarh police have registered a case against five persons including Vivek Singh's wife, her parents and two relatives under relevant provisions, including the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, along with charges related to assault, abuse and forgery.
Pithoragarh Superintendent of Police Akshay Prahlad Konde said, “On the basis of the complaint, an FIR has been registered against Sakir Ali, Yasmeen, Sajo Bano, Parvez and Firoz under sections related to assault, abuse, forgery and the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act. All facts are being investigated and further legal action will be taken accordingly.”