A group of Sikhs protested in Srinagar on Sunday after a young woman from the community was allegedly kidnapped by a man from another community.
Police said they have rescued the woman, 18, and handed her over to the family. The accused man, 29, has been arrested.
“The girl was rescued and presented before the court and then she went with her family members,” said Srinagar superintendent of police (north) Mubasher Hussain.
The Sikhs alleged that two more young women of their community have been kidnapped while only one has been handed over to them.
On Sunday, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, president of Delhi Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee, who landed here in the morning, protested in Srinagar along with a group of Sikhs.
“We are here to protest the abduction of two girls at gunpoint and their forced Nikah with elderly men. After that their parents were not even allowed to enter court. When we protested outside the court only then was one of the girls was handed over to us. It was a forced conversion,” said Sirsa.
The protesters want a law in Jammu and Kashmir mandating permission of parents in inter-religious marriages. “I urge the government to take stern action against forced conversions and request local leaders of Srinagar and religious leaders to come in support of Sikh daughters,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}The protesters want a law in Jammu and Kashmir mandating permission of parents in inter-religious marriages. “I urge the government to take stern action against forced conversions and request local leaders of Srinagar and religious leaders to come in support of Sikh daughters,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Calls to Kashmir inspector general of police Vijay Kumar and Srinagar SSP Sandeep Choudhary did not elicit any response.
J&K L-G assures action
Meanwhile, a DSGMC delegation led by its president Sirsa met J&K Lt governor Manoj Sinha here on Sunday. The L-G assured them of appropriate action in the case. They also demanded reservation of Sikh community in delimitation process.