Chattisgarh man kills self; accuses wife, in-laws of ‘forcing’ religious conversion

The reasons for suicide came to light after police came across the man's WhatsApp status.

A 30-year-old man in Chattisgarh's Potiadih village allegedly died by suicide on Saturday, claiming in a social media post that his wife and in-laws forced him to undergo religious conversion, news agency PTI reported.

The deceased had posted that he was disturbed due to constant “harassment” by his in-laws. Sahu also shared the same message with his brother-in-law. (Representative image) (HT File)

Police said the man was found dead at his house under Arjuni police station limits on the morning of December 7.

The reasons for suicide came to light after police came across Sahu's WhatsApp status. The deceased had posted that he was disturbed due to constant “harassment” by his in-laws. He also shared the same message with his brother-in-law the same day at 3.43 am before ending his life.

“I am fed up with my wife. She harassed me a lot to change my religion. When I got to my in-law's place, her mother and two sisters also harassed me to change my religion, saying they would later convince my mother and father (to change their religion),” Sahu wrote.

Police investigation revealed that the deceased got married in September last year. Four people, namely his wife, her parents, and her sister, have been arrested in connection with the case. A case has been registered for the abetment of suicide.

Officials said efforts are underway to trace the woman's younger sister and further investigation is underway.

Anti-conversion law in Chattisgarh

The BJP-led government in Chattisgarh has proposed passing a revised anti-conversion law, the Chhattisgarh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Bill, 2024. The bill proposes stricter punishments to curb “fraudulent and forced” religious conversions.

According to the proposal, an individual planning to convert should inform the District Magistrate (DM) 60 days in advance, and those officiating the conversion must submit details at least one month in advance. The person facilitating the conversion must also prove that it was not achieved through “coercion, fraud, or inducement”.

Illegal conversion of minors, women, or Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) members could result in imprisonment of 2-10 years and fines of at least ₹25,000. Mass conversions carry a penalty of 3-10 years in prison and a fine of ₹50,000. Courts may also grant compensation of up to ₹5 lakh to victims.

Rights groups have criticised anti-conversion laws in various states for infringing on constitutional rights, including freedom of religion and privacy.

Article 25 of the Indian Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of religion, including the right to practice, propagate, and profess one’s religion.

(With PTI inputs)

Note: Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. A few major suicide prevention helpline numbers in India are 011-23389090 from Sumaitri (Delhi-based) and 044-24640050 from Sneha Foundation (Chennai-based).