Mangaluru police have booked three persons including a female doctor under the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Ordinance 2022, for allegedly trying to forcibly convert a young woman to Islam.
The police filed an FIR based on a complaint by the mother of the 20-year-old victim. The young woman was working at a shop at Bikarnakatte when she was befriended by Khalib who promised her a better job and pay. As per the girl’s statements, on January 14, 2021, he took her to his relative’s house in Kallapu, where she was introduced to a woman, who forced her to offer namaz and read the Quran. She alleged that they tried to forcibly convert her to Islam. The complainant also accused Khalib of molesting her while taking her to his relative’s house.
Further, in the complaint, she said that she was given a burqa, her name was changed to Ayisha and that she was threatened. The victim returned to her house on January 17 and hid the matter from her family fearing consequences.
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She worked in a house for eight months and was given job at another house in Kasargod by a woman named Rukiya. She worked there for seven months. While working there, a person named Sainaz, who also worked at the same house, offered her a job at the house of Dr Jameela and her husband Dr Sayyed.
The complainant alleged that while working at their house, Jameela asked her to wear burqa, and that she was asked to introduce herself as a Muslim woman.
She left the job citing mental distress and returned home this October.
Meanwhile, a person named Aiman from Bhadravathi contacted the woman on Instagram and forced her to get into a relationship with him. She had visited Bhadravathi to meet him.
The complainant has appealed to the police to take action against Khalib, Dr Jameela, Aiman and Khalib’s relatives for allegedly forcing her to convert to Islam.
The police have booked cases under sections 354, 354(A), 506 of the IPC and Sections 3 and 5 of the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Ordinance 2022.