Sameer pretends to be Hindu, dons tilak and kalava, rapes Hindu woman, coerces her into signing marriage papers, attempts to convert her
Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India 
14 March, 2024
Case Summary
In Khoda, Ghaziabad, a Hindu woman accused her neighbour, Sameer, of deceiving her by pretending to be a Hindu, wearing a tilak and kalava. Their interaction began in February 2024, and on March 15, Sameer raped her under the pretence of asking for water. He calmed her with false promises of marriage. He later coerced her into signing marriage papers, where she discovered his true identity as a Muslim. Sameer then blackmailed her into the marriage and took her to Mumbai in July, where he continued to sexually assault her and attempted to convert her to Islam. She was eventually rescued by her father and reported the crime, leading to Sameer's arrest.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the hate tracker under the prime-category- Hate Crimes against women in relationship and sexual crimes. There are two sub-categories selected under the aforementioned category. The first is- Man pretends to be Hindu, under which the tertiary category selected is- wears symbols of Hinduism. When a non-Hindu man pretends to be a Hindu to deceive a Hindu woman into a relationship, the act is seen as triggered by malafide intentions. In some cases, the woman eventually accepts the man’s original religious identity and converts after the man’s identity is revealed. These cases could be argued as cases of religious brainwashing and a result of the pressure a woman feels after getting into a relationship with a man. The woman, it can be argued, also changed her religious identity because of the stigma she believes she might face if she chooses to walk out of a deceptive relationship. However, for the purpose of documenting hate crimes, the cases in this subcategory are limited to those where there is explicit violence aimed at religious conversion against the wishes of the victim (force-feeding beef, blackmailing with intimate videos, rape on refusal to convert, etc), or if the woman herself complains of the man’s religious deception. In such cases, it is established that the deception of the non-Hindu man had a specific aim of religious conversion or targeting of the victim due to her Hindu religious identity, therefore, making it a religiously motivated hate crime. The second sub-category relevant here is- blackmailed to convert- When Hindu women are in a relationship with non-Hindu men, there are cases where the woman is blackmailed to convert her religion, owing to her religious identity of being a Hindu. Such relationships may be consensual with the religious identity of the non-Hindu man known to the victim, however, there could be cases where the relationship is not consensual and the non-Hindu man starts blackmailing a Hindu woman to convert her religion. In these cases, it is often seen that the Hindu woman is blackmailed with intimate photos and/or videos, threats of harm to her or her family, threats of violence etc. Such cases are driven by specific religious motivations and against the religious identity of the victim and are therefore qualified as hate crimes. Here, a Muslim youth, under the guise of a Hindu, deceives a Hindu girl, exploiting her trust by pretending to share her faith. The accused wearing a kalava (a sacred thread worn by Hindus) and Tilak, and establishing a sexual relationship with a Hindu woman under false pretences is a clear case of religious hate. In Hinduism, the Tilak and Kalava hold deep religious, cultural, and spiritual significance. It symbolizes protection, blessings, unity, and commitment to spiritual and ethical principles. Its use across various rituals and ceremonies underscores its importance in the Hindu way of life. By exploiting religious symbols and rituals sacred to Hindus, the Muslim accused not only betrayed the woman's trust but also showed a profound disrespect for her faith. This deceptive behaviour, followed by forcing the woman to marry him and convert to Islam , is not only a violation of trust but also an attack on the woman's religious identity. The act of assuming a false religious identity to deceive and manipulate someone into a relationship is inherently malicious. It undermines the victim's right to make informed decisions about their relationships, especially those that involve significant cultural and religious dimensions. The subsequent coercion to convert to Islam adds another layer of religious hate, as it attempts to strip the victim of her religious freedom and force her into a belief system against her will. This type of exploitation, particularly when it involves coercion, threats, and religious deception, highlights a profound disrespect for the victim's faith and autonomy. It is a deliberate and calculated attempt to exert control over her, using religion as a tool of manipulation and domination. Such actions are rooted in religious intolerance and are clear manifestations of religiously motivated hate.
Victim Details
Total Victim
1
Deceased
0
Gender
- Male 0
- Female 1
- Third Gender 0
- Unknown 0
Caste
- SC/ST 0
- OBC 0
- General 0
- Unknown 1
Age Group
- Minor 0
- Adult 1
- Senior Citizen 0
- Unknown 0
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
