A shocking case of love jihad (sexual grooming for conversion of Hindu girls to Islam) in Uttar Pradesh’s Hamirpur district has ignited widespread protests, leading to the arrest of key accused following violent clashes and a police encounter. The incident involves a minor Hindu girl from Sumerpur town who was lured, raped, blackmailed with an obscene video, and pressured to convert her religion. Hindu organizations and local traders shut down markets in fury after the video went viral on social media platforms.
The Incident Unfolds
The victim, daughter of a cloth merchant residing in Sumerpur’s Mohal area, was trapped by Mohammad Aaban Khan (also reported as Afan or Aban Khan), son of local Maulana Khan, who concealed his Muslim identity to ensnare her in a relationship. After the relationship soured upon discovery of his true faith, the accused allegedly raped her, recorded an obscene video, and used it to blackmail her into religious conversion, threatening to viralize it if she refused. On January 15, 2026, the video surfaced online, causing immediate panic in the town and prompting the girl’s family to file a police complaint under multiple serious charges including rape, POCSO Act, forced conversion, and threats.
Public Fury and Protests
The video’s virality triggered massive unrest on January 15, with thousands of Hindu organization members, including Bajrang Dal affiliates and Sumerpur traders, closing markets and blocking the Kanpur-Sagar National Highway for hours. Protesters vandalized Maulana Khan’s home and car, smashing windows and pelting stones, while surrounding Sumerpur police station amid chants and demands for swift action. Local MLA Dr. Manoj Prajapati intervened to pacify the crowd, assuring arrests, as ASP Manoj Gupta and CO Sadar Rajesh Kamal deployed forces to control the mob.
Police Action and Encounter
Hours after the FIR was registered against Maulana Khan and his son under nine sections, police teams launched a manhunt. On the evening of January 15, Inspector Anoop Singh’s team apprehended Aaban Khan near Devgaon in an encounter where he allegedly fired an illegal country-made pistol recovered from bushes, prompting retaliatory fire that left him with a leg injury, rendering him lame. Khan was hospitalized under custody, his phone seized from a jungle hideout containing evidence, while his father was arrested earlier. No specific statistics on prior similar cases in Hamirpur were detailed, but the swift operation quelled immediate violence.
Victim Names Additional Accused
In her court statement, the minor victim implicated several more individuals in the conspiracy, prompting police to form teams for their arrests amid ongoing raids. The accused families have gone underground, locking homes, as intelligence agencies quietly gathered evidence on January 18. Local discussions highlight historical concerns, including Maulana Khan’s father Imamuddin aiding Islamist groups in the 1980s via a mosque used for promoting activities like love jihad.
Ongoing Investigation
As of January 19-20, 2026, police continue probing the network, with the victim’s medical exam and statement recorded, and further arrests imminent. The case underscores rising tensions over interfaith relationships in the region, with no official statistics released yet on video shares or protest turnout, but it has drawn national media attention amid fear of organized coercion.
