Hindu women targeted, sexually harassed, and branded ‘prostitutes’ for not adhering to Islam by Muslim NGO operator in Nagpur, Maharashtra
Nagpur, Maharashtra, India 
17 April, 2026
Case Summary
In Nagpur, Maharashtra, four Hindu women have filed a complaint against Riyaz Fazil Kazi, who ran an NGO named Universal Multipurpose Society, accusing him of repeated harassment, sexual exploitation, and being subjected to forced religious practices. The details came to light after a 23-year-old Hindu woman, who was working in the NGO as the chief of administration and human resources since 2023, detailed her ordeal and accused the Muslim man of targeting Hindu women employees for years. Mohammad Riyaz ran an NGO named "Padhe Ham Padhaye Ham" in Nagpur. There, he targeted Hindu girls and coerced them to offer namaz, read the Kalma, and accept Islam. He also tried to touch the girls inappropriately. The 23-year-old Hindu woman, in her complaint registered at Mankapur Police Station, described an incident on 18 July 2024, her birthday, in which Kazi called her into his cabin, hugged her, and kissed her on the forehead, saying, “I don’t want to leave you today.” She further stated that he switched off the CCTV cameras in the office during this interaction. Due to fear of losing her job, she was unable to resist or protest strongly. The complainant also stated that her elder sister had joined the same office as a project manager but left within two months due to similar harassment. According to her, Kazi created an environment of control and isolation by instructing female employees to stay away from other women who were not under his influence, referring to them as “prostitutes” and “call girls.” In the same case, on 13 April 2026, Kazi called the mother of a former employee and described the complainant, her sister, and their friends as “call girls” and “prostitutes,” accusing them of being involved in “night activities.” On 17 April, a recording of this conversation was circulated among colleagues. On 18 April, when the victims went to the office, they found it closed and then approached the police to file a complaint. Further, it was revealed that Hindu women working in the organisation were subjected to religious pressure. They were forced to wear burqas and made to recite the Kalma. The complainants stated that such practices were imposed as part of the accused’s conduct within the workplace. The accused was taken into custody following complaints from multiple victims, and the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) joined the investigation, underscoring the seriousness of the matter, linking the case to broader concerns and examining possible connections, including references to similar patterns seen in other cases. As more victims came forward, multiple women collectively filed a complaint on 18 April. Given the multitude of offences, the accused was charged under various sections of the newly implemented Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). He has been booked under Section 74 for assault or use of criminal force against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty, alongside Sections 75(2), 78(2), and 296 for obscene acts. Furthermore, he faces charges under Section 302(1) for deliberately hurting religious sentiments and Section 356(2) for defamation. Additionally, he has been charged under Section 66-B of the Information Technology Act for the illegal misuse of computer resources and social media accounts to stalk the women. Mankapur Police Senior Inspector Haresh Kalsekar stated, “On Sunday (19 April 2026), Kazi was produced in court. The court granted police remand till 23 April. We will investigate from every angle.” He further confirmed that three women had come forward to file complaints and that more statements were likely to emerge. The investigation remained ongoing at the time of documentation, with authorities examining the extent of the charges, the number of victims, and any wider network involved.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case is added to the tracker under the primary category- Predatory Proselytisation. The subcategory selected is- Harassment, threats, coercion for conversion. Harassment covers a wide range of behaviours of an offensive nature. It is commonly understood as behaviour that demeans, humiliates, and intimidates a person, including threats and coercion. Harassment and threats, in this case, find their root on discriminatory grounds, which has the effect of nullifying a person’s rights or infringing upon his freedom to exercise his right specifically owing to the victim’s religious identity. Verbal and physical threats and psychological or physical harassment are often used against Hindu victims because they choose to practice their professed religion. Religious harassment also includes forced and involuntary conversions by harassment, threats or coercion. Coercion includes intimidatory tactics like force-feeding a Hindu victim beef to convert to another religion, forceful circumcision, etc. In several cases documented, non-Hindu perpetrators or those who harbour specific animosity towards Hinduism, harass victims simply based on their religious identity. Such cases often also include harassment to ensure the Hindu victim abandons his/her professed religion and adopts the religion of the perpetrator. Such cases, where Hindu victims are harassed to convert to the perpetrator’s religion, are rooted in animosity towards the victim’s religious identity and are therefore documented as religiously motivated hate crimes. The other subcategory selected for this case is - Proselytisation by grooming, brainwashing, manipulation or subtle indoctrination. The tertiary category selected under this is - Rape and sexual assault, and Pattern of targeting Hindus. Religious brainwashing essentially means the often subtle and forcible indoctrination to induce someone to give up their religious beliefs to accept contrasting, regimented ideas. Religious grooming or brainwashing also involves propaganda and manipulation. It involves the systematic effort, driven by religious malice and indoctrination, to persuade “non-believers’ to accept allegiance, command, or doctrine to and of a contrasting faith. Cases of such grooming or brainwashing are far more nuanced than direct threats, coercion, inducement and violence. In such cases, it is often seen that there is repeated, subtle and continual manipulation of the victim to induce disaffection towards their own faith and acceptance of the contrasting faith of the perpetrator. While subtle indoctrination is widely acknowledged as predatory, an element which is often understated in such conversions or the attempts of such conversion is the role of loyalty and trust which might develop between the perpetrator and the victim. Fiduciary relationships are often abused to affect such religious conversion. For example, an educator transmitting religious doctrine of a competing faith to a Hindu student. The Hindu student is likely to accept what the teacher is transmitting owing to the existence of the fiduciary relationship. The exploitation of the fiduciary relationship to religiously indoctrinate victims would also be included in this category. Since the underlying animosity towards the victim’s faith forms the basis of predatory proselytisation, such cases are considered religiously motivated hate crimes. This case was added to the tracker because the conduct revealed a layered pattern of control where power, fear, and belief were intertwined to influence and convert the Hindu victims. At the outset, the use of authority within a workplace created a setting where resistance became difficult. When dependence on employment is combined with repeated pressure, even subtle coercion begins to carry weight. Over time, this transforms into a situation where compliance is extracted not through consent, but through circumstance. Further, the nature of the pressure was not limited to behaviour but extended to belief itself. When an individual is repeatedly told that their faith is inferior or invalid, it does more than challenge ideas; it erodes identity. Such messaging, especially when coupled with isolation and humiliation, creates a psychological environment where the victim begins to internalise fear and doubt. The impact, therefore, is not momentary; it affects dignity, self-worth, and the ability to assert one’s own beliefs. Additionally, the harassment extended into the forced imposition of religious practices. The victims were pressured to wear the burqa and made to recite the Kalma, acts that carry deep religious significance. This was not a matter of personal choice or voluntary belief, but rather a form of coercion exercised in a setting where the accused held authority. By compelling such practices, the accused attempted to alter not just outward behaviour but inner identity. The impact of this was profound, as it placed the victims in a position where their dignity, autonomy, and freedom of belief were continuously undermined. Moreover, the use of degrading labels for those outside control served a strategic purpose. It created a boundary between those who complied and those who resisted. By attaching stigma to non-compliance, the accused reinforced submission as the safer path. This method of social and psychological isolation ensured that victims were cut off from support and gradually drawn deeper into the imposed framework. Importantly, the pattern of selection carried its own meaning. The pressure was directed in a way that aligned with religious identity, indicating that the victims were not incidental but chosen. When coercion operates along such lines, it reflects a mindset where one group is seen as more susceptible or less worthy of autonomy. This is where the element of prejudice becomes evident, as identity itself becomes the basis of targeting. At the same time, the underlying narrative reflected an assertion of superiority. When one belief system is repeatedly projected as the only valid path, and others are dismissed as inferior or immoral, it creates a hierarchy of faith. This is not mere opinion; it becomes a tool of domination. The victims are not only pressured to change their behaviour but are also made to feel that their existing identity is inadequate. Such acts are carried out due to indoctrination by the Islamic theology, which advocates that all non-Muslims (referred to as kafirs) are inferior and subject to subjugation unless they convert to Islam or live under Islamic rule (dhimmitude). These ideas are not mere abstractions; they manifest in actions where non-Muslims, especially Hindus in India, are seen as targets for religious domination, coercion, or humiliation. This theological framework fosters an "us versus them" mindset, in which any assertion of Hindu identity or religious freedom is seen not only as undesirable but as a threat to Islamic supremacy. As a result, perpetrators who are shaped by such teachings feel justified, even morally obligated, to harass, suppress, or violently attack Hindus, particularly when Hindus assert their religious rights or resist conversion. Such acts, therefore, are not isolated but driven by a broader ideological hostility towards Hindus as non-believers and reflect an attempt to impose religious dominance. Consequently, the impact of such conduct is both personal and collective. Individually, it leaves victims with fear, trauma, and a compromised sense of agency. Collectively, it sends a message that members of a particular community can be targeted, controlled, and reshaped. This creates a chilling effect, where others in similar positions may feel unsafe or reluctant to come forward. Taken together, the elements of coercion, psychological control, identity-based targeting, and assertion of religious hierarchy formed a coherent pattern. The intent was not limited to individual misconduct but extended to influencing belief and identity under pressure. For this reason, the case was included in the tracker as a clear instance of targeted coercion and harassment shaped by religious bias.
Victim Details
Total Victim
4
Deceased
0
Gender
- Male 0
- Female 4
- Third Gender 0
- Unknown 0
Caste
- SC/ST 0
- OBC 0
- General 0
- Unknown 4
Age Group
- Minor 0
- Adult 4
- Senior Citizen 0
- Unknown 0
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
