A case of forced conversion of a Hindu Dalit youth in Bengaluru has sparked public indignation, with the victim reportedly circumcised, left to bleed, and brutally tortured in Banashankari mosque.

In a video published by The Lede, the victim (name withheld) describes the ordeals faced by him inside the Banashankari Masjid and how a Congress party member Anshar Paasha was involved in the conversion racket.

He started by stating, “I casually mentioned to Atta-ur-Rahman, who I know well, that I am unable to save anything regardless of how much money I make. He assured me that he would take me to a Bengaluru-based guru who could solve my problem with his blessings. He took me to Bengaluru where he introduced me to a member of the racket named Ajeesh Saab, whose job it is to disparage Hindu gods like Shiva, Ganesha, and others by questioning how a god can be married.”

He added, “I was given a black liquid, after which I started doing whatever they dictate. I was unconscious for four days and did not know when Atta-ur-Rahman left. They violently attacked me for asking them what they gave me to drink as they were getting ready to circumcise me.”

When asked if he was aware that he would be circumcised, he claimed that he had thought they would deliver a religious sermon but he was forcibly circumcised.

He continued, “Anshar Paasha, Nayaz Baasha, Ajeesh, Muhammed Iqbal, Althaf, Shabbir, Rafiq, Sayeed and others forcibly pushed me into the Banashankari masjid and assaulted me. Then they brought Dr. Khaleem, who circumcised me against my will despite my repeated requests for him not to.”

He added that it was continuously bleeding after circumcision, and was thrown into a dark room where he fainted and woke up only in the morning. They also advised him to strictly follow their instructions. He also claimed that the people in Masjid named him as Muhammed Salman and that he received a cut to the hand after refusing to eat meat because he worships Kaalabaireshwara, a cow god that he worships in his hometown. When he told them to leave him and promise not to tell anyone, they did not listen and tortured him for 28 days. He alleged that someone had taken his thumbprint, obtained 20 SIM cards in his name and also created an account with Kotak Mahindra Bank.

He added, “I was shown to foreigners from Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia who visited this Mosque. In exchange for converting me to Islam, they received funding from foreigners. Then, along with 12 other Muslims, I was sent to Thriupathi to study Islam in three Masjids. They also assaulted me for being unable to correctly perform Namaz and recite verses from the Quran. After being transported to Puthur, Andhra, I was subsequently brought back to Bengaluru and placed in the custody of Nayaz and Ansar Basha in the Sultan Shah Masjid.”

They started their assault again by punching him in his testicles and driving a screwdriver into his anus until he began to bleed, he claimed. Additionally, he said that they forcibly snapped a photo of him with a revolver and got his signature on numerous pieces of blank paper.

He claimed that he had been threatened with using the sim card obtained in his name to post the revolver-wielding photo online.

He continued, “They left me after a condition that I should convert at least three Hindus to Islam every year. They threatened to kill me and my family if I told anyone about this. Due to the influence of Muslims in my region, I was scared to complain to the police.”

He concluded saying, ” After that I took the help of Bajrang Dal who gave me security and shelter. I managed to escape the jaws of death. It was like hell for me there.I’ve been subjected to torture at the hands of Muslims. Let justice be done for me.”

The victimized man mentions that he followed due process and filed an FIR reporting the disturbing incident. Only two of the named perpetrators have been arrested so far.

(The story was published on thecommunemag.com on October 10, 2022 and has been reproduced here with consent.)