Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh — A minor girl from the Dalit community in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj district was allegedly abducted and taken to Kerala, where she was reportedly subjected to religious coercion and abuse. Two individuals have been detained in connection with the case, as police continue to investigate the incident.
According to officials, the matter came to light on June 28 when the girl’s mother filed a complaint with the Prayagraj Police. In the complaint, the family alleged that a woman from their village lured the minor with promises of money and subsequently took her to Kerala.
While en route, the minor was allegedly told that other Dalit girls had converted to Islam and were leading better lives, with some even being sent abroad. Once in Kerala, she was reportedly taken to Thrissur, where she was pressured to convert and allegedly indoctrinated for extremist activities.
One of the accused, a man from the Muslim community, has also been charged with molesting the minor, according to police sources.
The girl managed to escape from her captors and contacted the Kerala Police, who assisted in establishing communication with the Prayagraj Police. She was later brought back to her hometown with police assistance.
In her statement, the victim claimed she was subjected to attempts at religious conversion and was encouraged to take part in jihad-related activities. Acting on the complaint, Prayagraj Police formed multiple teams to trace the individuals involved and uncover any larger network behind the incident.
Police said that further interrogations are underway, and more arrests could follow. Authorities have also appealed to the public to report any similar incidents and assured that necessary support and protection will be provided to the victim.
The case has raised serious concerns over inter-state trafficking and the targeting of vulnerable individuals for religious conversion and radicalisation.
