Six Muslim men have been arrested in Uttar Pradesh, and the Police are on the lookout for five more in relation to a case involving the new 'unlawful conversion’ law passed in the state in November. Ever since its enactment, the law has been criticised for having no legal basis, and being against fundamental rights.
In UP’s Etah district, the police said in a statement that the father of a 21-year-old Hindu woman had filed a First Information Report (FIR) in the district’s Jalesar town on 17 December 2020.
The FIR alleged that his daughter had been kidnapped by a Muslim man and his relatives for marriage and forced conversion. In the statement, the police said the woman had been "missing" since 17 November, when she had gone to a local market, NDTV reported.
The police tweeted, “In the matter involving the kidnapping and forceful conversion of a girl in Jalesar, three more accused have been arrested. So far, half a dozen people have been sent to jail. A reward of ₹25,000 has been announced on the arrest of five missing accused.”
A missing person’s report was also filed by the girl’s father on 25 November.
The Hindu woman and the primary accused Muslim man have not been traced yet. However, all accused know each other, the police reportedly said.
Earlier on Saturday, two Muslim men accused under the anti-conversion law were let go after being imprisoned for nearly two weeks, in western UP's Moradabad district.
Sources said that the UP Police was unable to find any evidence of forced conversion against them.
(inputs from NDTV)
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