A case of alleged religious conversion involving a minor boy has surfaced in Bijnor district, where the family has accused a local youth of taking their son to Kupwara on the pretext of getting him a job and later pressuring him to convert to Islam.
The incident was reported from Bakharpur village under the City Kotwali area of Bijnor. According to the family, the minor boy, identified as Vishal Kumar, was allegedly lured to Kashmir by a youth named Wasim, who promised to teach him the salon trade and arrange work opportunities there.
Family members alleged that after reaching Kashmir, Vishal was threatened and forced to undergo religious conversion. They further claimed that when they attempted to contact the boy, they were allegedly told to “forget the boy.”
According to the allegations, Vishal was later renamed Hamza following the purported conversion.
The matter came to light after a video allegedly linked to the boy’s religious conversion surfaced on social media and went viral, drawing widespread attention online. Following the circulation of the clip, Vishal’s family approached the office of superintendent of police, Abhishek, in Bijnor, seeking intervention and demanding the safe return of the minor from Kashmir.
Acting on the complaint, Bijnor police registered a case on May 18 under Sections 3 and 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, and launched an investigation into the allegations.
{{/usCountry}}Acting on the complaint, Bijnor police registered a case on May 18 under Sections 3 and 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, and launched an investigation into the allegations.
{{/usCountry}}Speaking on the matter, circle officer Sangram Singh said the complaint was lodged at Kotwali Nagar Police Station and that the alleged conversion took place in Kupwara city of Jammu and Kashmir.
The family said they became aware of the alleged conversion through social media last week.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday also registered an FIR in connection with the alleged religious conversion case reported in Kupwara district.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh minister Dharmveer Prajapati stated that such incidents are repeatedly attempted to tarnish the state government’s image. Talking to reporters, Prajapati also said that chief minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the investigative agencies to handle the matter with absolute authority.
(With agency inputs from Kupwara, J&K)