Radical elements within extremist Islamist groups use a combination of ideological manipulation, coercion, and false promises to push individuals towards terrorism. Through relentless propaganda, both online and offline, they target impressionable minds, particularly those who feel disenfranchised or marginalized. They present violent ideologies under the guise of religious duty, often painting terrorism as a path to honor, glory, and eternal rewards in the afterlife. By exploiting social, political, and economic insecurities, these radical groups appeal to a deep sense of injustice and create an us versus them mentality. They then recruit individuals, promising them purpose, identity, and belonging in a world that feels otherwise hostile or uncertain.
Furthermore, the process of radicalization is often facilitated through controlled environments where indoctrination takes place. Religious leaders or self-proclaimed scholars may use their influence to twist sacred texts, distorting the message of peace into one of hate and violence. They prey on the vulnerable, particularly young people, grooming them into terrorists. The widespread use of social media platforms amplifies this phenomenon, where extremist content can reach millions with a single click, creating echo chambers of hate and reinforcing their beliefs.
The danger lies not only in the individual acts of violence committed by those radicalized but in the wider societal impact of such terrorism. It undermines peace, divides communities, and exacerbates global tensions, as seen in the cases of numerous attacks carried out in the name of religious extremism. These radical ideologies, rooted in a misinterpretation of religious texts, hijack the teachings of peace and tolerance, manipulating followers into believing that acts of terror are justified by divine will. As these networks grow, the world faces an ongoing challenge to counteract their influence and prevent further individuals from being led down a path of violence and destruction.
Over the past four years, from 2020 to 2024, there has been a disturbing pattern of individuals who initially identified as Hindus, later converting to Islam, and subsequently being implicated in activities linked to terrorism or forced religious conversion. These cases, while seemingly isolated, reveal a systematic exploitation of faith transitions to further extremist agendas and target vulnerable individuals. Such incidents not only challenge societal harmony but also raise serious questions about the motives behind these conversions and their connection to radicalization efforts.
A recent example from Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, highlights this alarming trend. On July 22, 2024, Raikda Khan, a converted Hindu who ran the Laker Academy Faidan Institute, was accused of indoctrinating Hindu students, engaging in mind-washing tactics, and coercing them into embracing Islam. The police investigation uncovered evidence of systematic pressure being exerted on students to abandon their original faith. This case is one of 16 significant incidents where individuals who converted to Islam have been found actively involved in fostering religious extremism or aiding anti-national activities.
Religious coercion and conversion at Lakme academy, Moradabad
In Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, allegations have emerged against Rakshanda Khan, the director of Lakme Academy, for fostering an environment of religious bias and coercion. Formerly known as Sapna, a Hindu, she reportedly converted to Islam after marrying an Islamist man. Based on the reports from OpIndia, students from the academy have accused her of pressuring Hindu girls to form relationships with Islamist boys, promoting religious conversion and eventual marriage. This alleged systematic targeting has caused significant distress among Hindu students, prompting them to file an official complaint with District Magistrate Anuj Singh on July 22, 2024.
According to students Tanya Chaudhary and Swati Pal, Rakshanda actively discourages Hindu traditions while promoting Islamic practices within the academy. They claim she has banned Hindu symbols like bindis, sindoor, and mangalsutra, even barring married Hindu women from entering the premises if they wear these traditional markers. In stark contrast, Islamic students are reportedly allowed to freely practice their religion, including offering namaz on the premises. Additionally, complaints have surfaced that Hindu girls are deliberately grouped with Islamist boys during classes, with Khan allegedly encouraging such associations under the guise of interfaith harmony.
The students further allege that Rakshanda openly promotes her own religious journey as an example to be followed. She has reportedly told students that she left Hindu Dharma to embrace Islam and is now content in her new life, urging them to consider similar paths. The students also highlighted dietary issues, stating that contrary to promises made at admission, meat and fish consumption by Islamic students is permitted on campus, creating discomfort for many.
Later, the matter drawn the attention of the Moradabad police, who then initiated an investigation based on the allegations.
Ex-Hindu turned terrorist Abubakar linked to conspiracy against Hindu leaders
Abubakar, a key figure involved in a plot to assassinate Hindu leaders, was formerly a Hindu named Ashok Suthar from Bikaner, Rajasthan. His conversion to Islam followed a honey-trap orchestrated by Pakistani girls he met through social media. Based on the reports from OpIndia, after months of communication, he was influenced to embrace Islam, leading him to convert at a mosque in Delhi. Subsequently, he adopted the name Abubakar and became deeply involved in terrorist activities, including attempts to recruit and convert Hindu youth using similar tactics. Authorities recovered 40 Pakistani phone numbers from him, with which he had been sending threats to Hindu leaders. Abubakar was arrested by Gujarat’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and linked to Maulana Sohail, another key conspirator involved in the plan to murder prominent Hindu figures.
Further investigation revealed that Abubakar’s terror network extended beyond Bharat, with connections to Sri Lankan terrorists. Four individuals, trained under the guidance of Maulana Sohail, were caught at Ahmedabad airport while attempting to carry out suicide attacks in Bharat. These terrorists, with criminal backgrounds in Sri Lanka, were reportedly influenced by anti-Bharat propaganda, claiming Bharat’s support for America and Israel as a justification for their attacks. The terrorists were also closely connected to Maulana Sohail, who had previously been arrested for orchestrating the murder plot of Hindu leaders.
ISIS terrorists Harish Farooqui and Anurag alias Rehan arrested in Assam
ISIS terrorists Harish Farooqui and Anurag, also known as Rehan, were arrested in Guwahati, Assam, after crossing into Bharat from Bangladesh. Based on the reports from News 18 Haryana, Farooqui, a native of Chakrata in Dehradun, and Rehan, originally from Panipat in Haryana, were apprehended by the Special Anti-Terrorist Force (SATF) in Dhubri, Assam. The duo has been linked to multiple terrorism-related cases, with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Delhi ATS registering several charges against them.
Anurag, who converted to Islam and adopted the name Rehan, has a Bangladeshi wife. His background reveals that his father, Manbir, was a lawyer who passed away in 1992, after which Anurag and his family relocated to Sonipat. A significant portion of Rehan’s house in Deewana village, Panipat, had been rented out for the past 25 years. Neighbors recalled that the family had not been residing there regularly and had shifted to Sonipat.
ISIS terrorist Shahnawaz arrested in Delhi; explosives and bomb-making materials seized
Based on the reports from Hindustan, in a significant breakthrough, Delhi Police arrested ISIS terrorist Shahnawaz, a key suspect in several bombings, along with two associates, Mohammad Rizwan Ashraf and Mohammad Arshad Warsi. Shahnawaz, who hails from Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, was involved in various terrorist activities and had been on the run after escaping police custody in Pune. A reward of ₹3 lakh was announced for his capture. Shahnawaz had reportedly married Basanti Patel from Gujarat, whom he converted to Islam, renaming her Maryam after the marriage.
The Special Police Commissioner, HGS Dhaliwal, confirmed that the Special Cell had been tracking top figures linked to ISIS and Indian Mujahideen for a long time. Shahnawaz and his associates were arrested after a raid revealed bomb-making materials, including iron pipes, chemicals, and bomb-making literature, which they had received from their Pakistani handlers. This literature provided instructions on how to use chemicals for maximum damage, indicating the group’s preparation for large-scale attacks. The arrested terrorists had conducted reconnaissance in various locations across Bharat, including Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and southern part of Bharat.
The three men, all engineers by profession, were reportedly getting continuous instructions from their Pakistani masters. In a separate incident, the police also found a chemical substance on Shahnawaz’s body during his arrest. The trio has been remanded for seven days by the court, and further investigations are underway to uncover their plans and network.
NIA unveils shocking ISIS recruitment of Hindu youth in Madhya Pradesh
Based on the reports from ETV Bharat, in a startling revelation, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has uncovered that Rahul Sen, a Hindu youth from Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, was recruited and radicalized by ISIS. Arrested on September 15, Sen had converted to Islam under the influence of the terrorist organization and adopted the name Umar Bahadur. He was in close contact with operatives of ISIS’s Jharkhand module and played an active role in promoting their extremist ideologies. Investigators found that Sen was distributing inflammatory material and radical propaganda among Bharatiya youth, a strategy designed to incite violence and recruit followers for anti-national activities.
The investigation revealed that Sen utilized social media platforms extensively, creating multiple groups to disseminate ISIS propaganda, training materials, and ideological content. His Instagram account served as a key hub for connecting with potential recruits and spreading violent extremist messages. NIA officials described the case as unprecedented, marking the first documented instance of ISIS targeting and converting a Hindu youth in Bharat. The arrest also led to the recovery of several incriminating items, including SIM cards and radical content, pointing to his deep involvement with the terrorist organization.
The case has triggered alarm over the growing reach of ISIS within Bharat and its targeted recruitment efforts. Following leads from an earlier arrest of Faizan Ansari in July, the NIA had been monitoring Sen’s activities before apprehending him. Raids in multiple locations across Madhya Pradesh have intensified as investigators uncover further connections in the case, with more arrests likely. This incident highlights the urgent need for stronger counter-radicalization measures and enhanced digital surveillance to curb extremist influences threatening the nation’s security.
The Story of Huda: another Islamic conversion like Kerala story
Huda, formerly known as Bhumika, recounts a life transformation that mirrors narratives like The Kerala Story. Based on the reports from OpIndia, originally from Maharashtra and an MBA graduate in marketing from Bhopal, she converted to Islam in 2018 after being influenced by her Islamic friends during college. Two years later, she married Yasir, a man she met on social media, who is now among those arrested by the Madhya Pradesh ATS for being part of the Hizb-ut-Tahrir terrorist group. Huda says her interest in Islam began in 2015 when discussions with Islamic friends shaped her beliefs. Her family disowned her after her conversion, stating she was dead to them. Despite these challenges, she lived with friends for two years before marrying Yasir.
Huda rejects the notion of love jihad, claiming it to be a fabricated concept, and contrasts Islamic and Hindu practices. She highlights Islam’s emphasis on simplicity and minimal expenditure in marriage, contrasting it with what she perceives as societal pressures and financial burdens in Hindu families, especially after the birth of daughters. Huda also asserts that Islam promotes the dignity of women, citing her observation of women in veils who, she believes, are free from harassment. Additionally, she dismisses scientific reasoning, asserting her belief in the Quran’s teachings that Allah governs the world. She views Hindu practices involving multiple deities as unnecessary, emphasizing Islam’s focus on one God.
With a two-year-old daughter, Huda remains steadfast in her faith, even amidst her husband’s legal troubles. She claims that Allah will guide them through these challenges. Huda’s views and actions reveal the extent to which she has been manipulated by Islamist influences.
The perils of extremist brainwashing: Saurabh’s transformation into ‘Terrorist Professor’
The case of Saurabh Rajvaidya from Bhopal reveals the alarming dangers of extremist brainwashing. Once a respected academic, Saurabh was allegedly radicalized by Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HUT), a terrorist group operating in Madhya Pradesh. Based on the reports from OpIndia, Saurabh, who adopted the name Mohammad Salim after his conversion, was arrested for his alleged role in anti-national activities. His wife, Raila, formerly known as Mansi before converting to Islam, stands by him, asserting that Allah will guide him through this ordeal. Despite the charges, she claims the family was living as normal citizens, and the accusations are baseless, targeted simply because of their faith. Raila also criticized the authorities for what she sees as the destruction of her husband’s career and the impact on their young children.
Saurabh’s transformation allegedly began during his tenure as a professor, where a colleague, Kamal, introduced him to controversial preacher Zakir Naik in Mumbai. According to Saurabh’s parents, this meeting marked a turning point, leading to his conversion and eventual radicalization. Naik, infamous for his involvement in numerous conversions, is said to have influenced several individuals in Bhopal. Saurabh’s parents believe this indoctrination paved the way for his association with extremist ideologies, culminating in his arrest.
Male victims of radicalization: the disturbing reality of Jihadist conversions
The phenomenon of religiously motivated radicalization is not limited to women, as evidenced by the stories of men who have been converted to Islam and drawn into terrorism. Based on the reports from OpIndia, a case in point is the Kerala-ISIS module uncovered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which exposed how individuals were groomed through social media to propagate extremist ideologies. The module, led by Islamist Mohammed Ameen alias Abu Yahya, operated multiple propaganda channels to recruit new members for ISIS. Prominent among the recruits were individuals like Shankar Venkatesh Perumal, who adopted the name Ali Muaviya after conversion, and joined the terror network.
Shankar’s case underscores the systematic targeting of non-Islamic individuals for conversion and radicalization. In 2021, the NIA launched an extensive investigation into the Kerala-ISIS module, conducting raids across multiple states, including Kerala, Karnataka, and Jammu & Kashmir. Shankar was apprehended alongside several others, including Obaid Hamid from Srinagar and Muzammil Hassan Bhat from Bandipora, further highlighting the widespread reach of such extremist networks.
NIA raids target ISIS module in Srinagar and Kerala
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids in Srinagar and Kerala on Monday as part of an ongoing investigation into an ISIS recruitment network. Based on the reports from ABP live, the investigation, initiated in 2021, focuses on Islamist Mohammed Ameen, also known as Abu Yahya, a resident of Kadannamanna in Kerala’s Mallapuram district. Ameen is accused of running multiple ISIS propaganda channels on platforms like Telegram, Hoop, and Instagram, where he spread violent Jihadi ideologies and recruited new members. The NIA discovered that Ameen and his associates had planned terrorist acts, including targeted killings, and had raised funds to support their activities.
The investigation also revealed links between Ameen and Deepthi Marla, a converted Islamist from Mangalore. Marla had traveled to Dubai in 2015, where she became interested in ISIS after meeting Mizha Siddeeque. Despite an unsuccessful attempt to reach ISIS in Khorasan in 2019, she returned to Bharat and began collaborating with Ameen and other ISIS members. In 2020, Marla traveled to Srinagar to meet Obaid Hamid Matta and plan their next moves. The NIA continues to probe the network, having recently raided the residence of Uzair Azhar Bhat in Srinagar, a suspect involved in the conspiracy. Additionally, in January 2023, the NIA filed charges against Mohsin Ahmad, another ISIS associate involved in propagating the group’s ideology and raising funds.
Mother of Kerala Woman Imprisoned in Afghanistan Appeals for Her Return
K Bindu, the mother of Nimisha Fathima, has made a heartfelt plea to the Bharatiya government to bring her daughter and four-year-old granddaughter back from Afghanistan. Based on the reports from India Today, Fathima, who had reportedly joined the Islamic State (ISIS), has been imprisoned in Afghanistan since 2019. The situation has become more urgent after the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul, which led to a jailbreak freeing several prisoners, including Fathima and her fellow Kerala women. K Bindu confirmed that her daughter and granddaughter were among those released during the chaos.
Fathima’s journey began when she left Bharat and initially traveled to Iran, before moving to Afghanistan to allegedly join ISIS. Following her husband’s death in a US airstrike on ISIS positions, Fathima was one of 408 individuals who surrendered to Afghan authorities in 2019. The Afghan government had requested Bharat to repatriate Fathima and the other women, but the Bharatiya government has yet to make a decision on the matter. K Bindu is now urging the Bharatiya government to expedite the process, as the Taliban no longer wants them in Afghanistan. She insists that her daughter and granddaughter should return to Bharat and face legal proceedings here.
These incidents are just a few examples, and many such atrocities occur daily across Bharat. Cases of Love Jihad, manipulative tactics, rape, and murder by predatory Islamists are increasing at an alarming rate. Meanwhile, terrorist groups linked to Islamist elements are also operating secretly, posing a severe threat to the nation. It is imperative to address and eliminate these threats at the earliest to prevent widespread harm to Bharat.
The escalating influence of radical Islamist activities in Bharat demands immediate and decisive action. These acts, ranging from coerced conversions to extremist indoctrination, reveal an organized effort to exploit societal vulnerabilities and disrupt harmony. Ignoring these challenges jeopardizes not only the nation’s internal security but also its cultural and religious coexistence. A robust response, combining stringent law enforcement, targeted deradicalization programs, and community awareness initiatives, is the need of the hour. Bharat’s strength lies in its unity and diversity—both of which must be protected at all costs to ensure a resilient and inclusive future for its citizens.
