Garhwal Post Bureau
Haldwani, 31 Jul: A case involving allegations of concealing identity to establish a relationship with a Hindu woman, promising marriage and subsequently allegedly raping her has come to light in Haldwani. The accused, identified as Shehbaz, a resident of Meerut, has been arrested by the police after the woman alleged that he had concealed his Muslim identity, gained her confidence, promised to marry her and once his true identity was revealed, he allegedly even assured her that he would change his religion for the marriage. She has further alleged that after establishing physical relations with her on the promise of marriage, the accused later went back on his commitment, deleted chats, photographs and videos from her mobile phone and threatened to kill her when she protested.
According to the police, the woman is a resident of Udham Singh Nagar district and has been living in a rented accommodation in Haldwani, where she also works. It was during her work that she came in contact with Shehbaz. The two initially became friends and their conversations gradually developed into a close relationship.
The woman has alleged that Shehbaz concealed his real identity from her when they first became acquainted and subsequently developed a relationship with her. She said that she came to know about his actual identity only much later. According to her complaint, when she confronted him after discovering his identity, he sought to retain her confidence by assuring her that he would marry her and, if necessary, even change his religion for the marriage.
The woman has alleged that relying on these assurances, the accused took her to different places and established physical relations with her on several occasions. According to the FIR, the accused allegedly raped her on 8 and 18 July as well. When she subsequently insisted that he fulfil his promise of marriage, he allegedly backed out. She has further alleged that the accused deleted their chats, photographs and videos from her mobile phone in an attempt to destroy evidence and, when she objected, threatened to kill her.
Following the complaint, the police registered a case against Shehbaz and initiated an investigation. The accused was subsequently arrested and sent to jail. The police are investigating the allegations and examining the evidence available in the case.
The Haldwani case has once again brought into focus the growing concern over incidents in Uttarakhand in which Muslim men have concealed their identity before entering into relationships with Hindu girls. Such cases, commonly referred to as ‘Love Jihad’, are increasingly being reported from different parts of Uttarakhand. In a number of such cases, allegations have been made that the accused first concealed their religious identity, established a relationship with Hindu girls and subsequently used promises of marriage or other assurances to gain their trust.
The issue has assumed greater significance in Uttarakhand as cases involving allegations of identity concealment, interfaith relationships and subsequent disputes over marriage have increasingly come to public attention. The latest case in Haldwani has follows a similar pattern, with the woman specifically alleging that the accused concealed his identity at the beginning of the relationship and later assured her that he would marry her and even change his religion.
