The police in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, have arrested eight people who were allegedly part of a gang that targeted Hindu girls by pretending to be in love and then forced them to convert to Islam. According to the police, the group was operating in an organised manner.

The case came to light after Sunil Verma, a resident of Mahuawa Buzurg, filed a complaint. He said his 19-year-old daughter was lured away to Amritsar, where the gang forced her to convert and kept her hidden.

A joint team from the local police and cyber cell carried out a search operation and successfully located the girl on Sunday. During the rescue, the police found two Aadhaar cards—one bearing her original name, Neha Verma, and another with the name given after conversion, Parvani Khatoon. They also seized 11 SIM cards and nine mobile phones that were reportedly used by the accused.

Superintendent of Police Santosh Kumar Mishra said, “Complainant Sunil Verma of Mahuawa Buzurg submitted an application saying that his daughter was taken from Amritsar and hidden after being converted by some individuals. This was an organised gang, and eight people have been arrested so far. Ashiq Ansari, Imtiyaz, and Mohammad Sahab, among others, gave her a new name after conversion and kept her hidden. Further investigation is ongoing.”

Those arrested have been identified as Taufiq Ansari, Ashiq Ansari and his son Imtiyaz, Mohammad Sahab Ansari, Zeeshan Qamar, Mazhar, along with two women, Kaiser Jahan and Fatima.

According to the police, the accused confessed to being part of a network that specifically targeted Hindu women for religious conversion. The gang had been tracking the girl for several months, emotionally manipulating her and eventually pressuring her to convert.

Police further said that Taufiq Ansari used explicit videos and recorded phone conversations to blackmail the girl’s family. The two women in the group, Kaiser Jahan and Fatima, were actively involved in mentally influencing the girl by showing her religious content.

An FIR has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021. Efforts are ongoing to track down other gang members who are still absconding.

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