Four held for forcing 20-year-old man to convert, undergo circumcision in Greater Noida

Four people have been arrested in Greater Noida, India for allegedly forcing a 20-year-old man to convert to a different religion and undergo circumcision. The incident came to light after a video of the victim making the allegations was shared on social media. The suspects have been charged and taken into custody.

The Gautam Budh Nagar police on Wednesday arrested four people for allegedly forcing a 20-year-old man to religiously convert and also undergo a circumcision in Greater Noida earlier this month, said police.

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The victim is a resident of Bulandshahr but the alleged incident happened in Greater Noida’s Kulesra village under Ecotech-3 police limits, said police.

According to Anil Kumar Yadav, deputy commissioner of police, the matter came to fore on Wednesday when a video clip of the victim making these allegations was shared on social media .

“In his video clip, the man alleged that on June 21, his female partner’s parents called him to Greater Noida and held him hostage. They then forced him to undergo a circumcision and religious conversion,” said Yadav.

Taking cognizance of the video, a police team was deployed to nab the suspects. “We contacted the victim and took a written complaint from him, on the basis of which an FIR was registered at the Ecotech-3 police station under sections 328 (causing hurt with intent to commit an offence), 342 (wrongful confinement) and relevant provisions of the Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act against four people,” said the DCP, adding that the girl’s parents and two others were arrested on Wednesday.

During investigation, it was found that the victim was in a relationship with a 17-year-old girl he met at a factory in Phase 2, Noida. “The man expressed his desire to marry the girl to her family following which he was invited to their home by her parents on June 21. That is when the alleged conversion took place,” said Yadav.

Following the circumcision, the victim stayed at the girl’s residence for two days to recover, said the officer.

“On June 24, he left for his home in Bulandshahr and on June 25, he made a video in which he alleged forced conversion. The next day, on June 26, it was widely shared on social media following which we took action,” said the officer, adding that the suspects have been produced before a magistrate and sent to judicial custody.