11 held in UP for forcing girl to convert

Lucknow, Aug 14 (IANS) Eleven persons have been booked for forcing a girl to embrace Islam in Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli district.

The police said on Monday that when the girl resisted, she and her mother were thrashed.

The two are currently recuperating in the district hospital while police have formed teams to nab the accused.

Kotwali SHO R.K. Singh said that the girl’s mother alleged in her complaint that her neighbour whose real name was Rizwan concealed his identity and eloped with her 20-year-old daughter on August 10.

“Rizwan forcibly got my daughter converted and married her,” she alleged.

“Two days later, through some locals, I got to know that my daughter was last spotted near Rizwan’s house. So, I reached his house and confronted him after spotting my daughter,” she said in her complaint to the police.

Thereafter, Rizwan along with his 10 other aides threatened me and added that she had embraced Islam.

“When I demanded to meet my daughter, I was thrashed in front of her and she was slapped too,” said the woman in her complaint to the police.

On Sunday, the mother informed police and a team reached the spot to recover the girl.

An FIR was lodged against Rizwan and his aides.

The SHO added that as the girl is an adult, her statements will be recorded before a magistrate soon.

“Based on this, further action will be taken,” he said.