PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
The infamous religious conversion racket recently busted in Uttar Pradesh had its tentacles in Dehradun district too. Following sharing of information between UP Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Dehradun police, five persons have been booked in the district for attempting to convert a young woman. In addition to forced religious conversion, the police and Uttarakhand Special Task Force are also investigating funding and other related aspects in this case.
Addressing the media here on Friday, Dehradun senior superintendent of police Ajai Singh said that the UP ATS contacted him on Thursday and shared confidential information regarding a suspect in Dehradun district. It was informed that resident of Shankarpur in Sahaspur, Abdul Rahman had been taken into custody for questioning in a matter related to a religious conversion racket in Agra. Other aspects related to the case were also shared by the UP authorities with the Dehradun police. Based on the information, Singh formed a team under the superintendent of police (Rural) which collected further information while the STF was also included for technical support. On checking an Instagram ID related to Uttarakhand, it was found that it was connected to a young woman in the Ranipokhri area. The police further found that she had been in touch with Rahman. The police questioned the woman in detail while also informing her family about the modus operandi of the gang involved in religious conversion. Her father Rajkumar Bajaj informed the police about some Muslim youths and a woman trying to force his daughter to convert and also submitted a complaint to the police. Based on this, the police lodged a case under Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act against five persons. Singh further informed that the Dehradun police maintained communication with Agra police and exchanged important information. So far, the police have not ascertained attempted religious conversion by the accused in any other place in Uttarakhand. The police investigation has also revealed that the woman was also in touch with some dubious Instagram IDs in Delhi, Goa and UP, considering which police teams have been dispatched to these locations. Along with the conversion angle, the police are also investigating illegal funding in the case, the SSP said.
