In Moradabad, a Muslim couple has been arrested for holding a Dalit woman hostage and forcibly converting her at gunpoint. The victim also alleged molestation and caste-based abuse. Police are searching for other absconding accused.
A sensational case has come to light from Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. Here a Muslim husband and wife have been arrested for holding a Dalit woman hostage and forcibly converting her at gunpoint. This matter is of Majhola police station area. The victim woman is a resident of Prakash Nagar and knew the accused Sultan Salauddin and his wife Mehnaz (Mahraj Begum) for about three years. It is being told that both the families had very close relations and they used to celebrate festivals together.
The woman alleges that on February 6, Mehnaz called her to his house on some pretext. When she reached there, Sultan Salauddin, his wife, a Maulvi and two unknown people took her hostage. The accused put Sultan’s licensed pistol on his head and threatened to kill him and forcibly converted him in front of the Maulvi.
The victim accused of caste based abuse and molestation
The victim further told that after converting her religion, the accused pressured her to marry Sultan Salauddin. When she refused, the Maulvi protested, saying that forced marriage would be against Islamic and Sharia principles. But, the Sultan insisted that he would keep her as his wife.
The woman also alleges that when she protested, the accused abused her using caste-related words, beat her up and kept her hostage for several days. During his captivity, Sultan Salauddin molested him and mistreated him. Somehow she managed to escape from there, after which the accused threatened to kill her if she went to the police.
UP Police said that Sultan Salauddin has a criminal record and a case of attempt to murder has already been registered against him in Badaun district. Moradabad Police has registered a case in this matter under kidnapping, molestation, criminal intimidation, Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Moradabad SP City Kumar Ranveer Vijay Singh said that the complaint was received on July 11. Taking the allegations seriously, the police immediately registered an FIR. Sultan Salauddin and Mehnaz have been arrested and sent to judicial custody. Police have formed teams to nab the absconding Maulvi and two other accused.