MP files first case under new conversion law

The accused, who is a truck driver and a resident of Palsud village, was arrested by police under the new law and under sections 376 (rape), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.

Updated on: Jan 19, 2021, 06:41:44 IST

By Shruti Tomar, Bhopal

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The first case under the newly enacted MP Freedom of Religion Ordinance 2020 was registered against a 25-year-old man in Barwani area late night on Sunday, police said.

Barwani police station in-charge Rajesh Yadav said, “The woman alleged that the man met her four years ago. He hid his religion and raped her on the pretext of marriage." (Representative image)

The accused, who is a truck driver and a resident of Palsud village, was arrested by police under the new law and under sections 376 (rape), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. Barwani police station in-charge Rajesh Yadav said, “The woman alleged that the man met her four years ago. He hid his religion and raped her on the pretext of marriage. Recently, she came to know that he wanted to convert her When she confronted him, he beat her.” He added that a probe is underway.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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