A student of Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV) in Indore has filed a serious criminal complaint against a 24‑year‑old Muslim classmate, alleging rape, death threats and coercion to convert to Islam under the expanded provisions of the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, commonly invoked in love jihad (sexual grooming with Islamist religious conversion agenda) cases. Police have registered an FIR at Tilak Nagar police station and arrested the accused, identified as Hams Sheikh, a resident of Sanchar Nagar in Indore.
Allegations of Rape and Coercion
According to the FIR, the complainant, a DAVV student, became acquainted with Hams Sheikh as they were classmates and began interacting regularly. When Sheikh proposed marriage, the student rejected him, after which she briefly distanced herself before he apologized and resumed contact.
On 26 July, Sheikh went to the Hindu girl’s home, forced himself on her and committed rape, and then began blackmailing her, threatening to kill her if she disclosed the incident. The student later got married in August and believed the harassment would end, but the accused continued to pressure her to marry him and accept Islam, warning her to convert and threatening consequences if she refused.
Police Case Under Freedom of Religion Law
The police have registered a case of rape and criminal intimidation, along with charges under the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, which criminalizes coercion, fraud or pressure to change one’s religion. Officers at Tilak Nagar police station, led by station in‑charge Manish Lodha, confirmed that the complaint includes accusations of forced religious conversion attempts in addition to sexual assault and threats to the survivor’s life.
Under the state law, offences involving coercive conversion can attract stringent penalties, and in love jihad‑linked complaints authorities often book multiple sections related to both sexual crimes and religious freedom. The invocation of this Act signals that investigators consider the pressure to change religion as a central element of the case, not merely a peripheral detail.
Role of Hindu Organizations and Arrest
The survivor reportedly approached local Hindu organizations and Karni Sena workers for help after the harassment continued even after her marriage. Activists say the accused used the college route to stalk and trouble her during her daily commute, prompting them to intervene.
Members of these groups, acting on the student’s complaint, traced and apprehended Sheikh near Pipliyahana in Indore and handed him over to the police. Initially, authorities are reported to have taken preventive action; subsequently, after the detailed complaint and statements, a full FIR was registered and the accused was formally arrested.
Political Angle and Pressure Allegations
Local reports mention that during the initial police action, a political angle emerged when a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) mandal president, identified as Ajhar Sheikh, called the police and tried to influence officers not to proceed strongly against the accused. This attempt at political pressure has raised questions about interference in sensitive investigations involving sexual violence and religious freedom charges.
Such allegations feed into a broader public debate in Madhya Pradesh around how forceful the state machinery is in pursuing cases related to love jihad and whether political considerations sometimes affect the pace or intensity of investigations. While the police have moved ahead with the FIR and arrest, advocates and activists argue that any external pressure on law enforcement in such cases undermines due process and the survivor’s access to justice.
Ongoing Investigation and Next Steps
Madhya Pradesh has recorded a series of complaints in recent years where interfaith relationships have been framed as love jihad, leading to the use of the state’s Freedom of Religion Act against accused men from minority communities. In these cases, allegations typically combine claims of deceptive or coercive romantic involvement, sexual exploitation, and pressure to convert, creating a complex mix of gender, religious and political tensions.
Police are now expected to record detailed statements, examine digital evidence such as phone records and messages, and verify the sequence of events from July through the survivor’s marriage in August and subsequent harassment. Medical examination reports, witness testimonies and corroborative material from college staff and neighbours may play a crucial role in establishing the charges of rape, intimidation and attempted religious conversion in court.
If the allegations are upheld, the accused could face lengthy imprisonment under combined sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, including enhanced penalties due to the survivor’s status as a student and the reported pattern of blackmail and threats. Until the trial concludes, the case will remain a focal point in Indore’s public discourse, symbolizing both the urgent issue of violence against Hindu women and forced conversions in the state.
