Hindu woman forced to offer namaz, observe roza and eat beef; assaulted for resisting forced conversion to Islam

Case ID : 90a0bd2 | Location : Basti, Uttar Pradesh, India | Date of Incident : Fri, 28 March, 2025

Case ID : 90a0bd2

Basti, Uttar Pradesh, India

28 March, 2025

Hindu woman forced to offer namaz, observe roza and eat beef; assaulted for resisting forced conversion to Islam

Crimes against women in relationships and other sexual crimes

Assault or threat upon refusal to convert

Forced conversion before marriage

Forced to follow non-Hindu religious practices

Forced to eat beef

Case Summary

The victim, a Hindu woman from Basti district, accused a Muslim man named Ahmed Raza of deceiving her into a relationship under false pretenses, subjecting her to prolonged sexual exploitation, and coercing her into religious conversion. She recounted being forced to offer namaz, observe roza (fasting), and consume beef against her will. She further stated that she was compelled to undergo multiple abortions, adding to her trauma. Seeking justice, the woman approached the authorities, fearing for her life and requesting protection. She filed a complaint against Ahmed Raza and his family, detailing the coercion and abuse she endured. The district president of the Vishwa Hindu Mahasangh, Akhilesh Singh, condemned the incident, warning that any harassment of Hindu women would not be tolerated and that protests would follow if justice was delayed. According to her complaint, Ahmed Raza, who worked as a driver at her home, persistently harassed her. In February 2024, he raped her at knifepoint and later convinced her to elope under the pretext of marriage, taking jewellery and cash with them. His family, including his parents and sisters, pressured her to convert, forcing her to partake in Islamic rituals and punishing her for any resistance. She also accused him of selling her jewellery and pawning her scooter for Rs 35,000. Despite becoming pregnant multiple times, she stated that Ahmed Raza forced her to undergo repeated abortions. At the time of filing her complaint, she was pregnant again and feared for her safety. Deputy Superintendent of Police Satyendra Bhushan Tiwari confirmed that a case had been registered based on her complaint.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category of- Crimes against women in relationships and other sexual crimes. Under this, the first sub-category selected is- Forced conversion before marriage. Within this, the tertiary categories selected are- Forced to follow non-Hindu religious practices and Forced to eat beef. In such cases, a non-Hindu man is in a relationship with a Hindu woman when the pressure to convert her religion begins to manifest. The relationship in such cases is mostly consensual and the religious identity of the perpetrator is known to the Hindu woman in the relationship, however, at some point during the relationship, the non-Hindu man starts to force the victim to convert her religion and give up her Hindu religious identity. In such cases, the methods used to force the victim to convert her religion often revolve around force-feeding beef, forcing her to wear hijab, forcing her to read the Kalma or even pressurizing the victim to do ‘Nikah’, which is marriage under Islamic law, with a prerequisite being conversion to Islam. Cases where a Hindu woman consensually converts to Islam in a relationship will be left out of the hate crime database, even though it could be argued in several cases that the conversion was a result of religious brainwashing. The second sub-category selected under the above-mentioned category is- Assault or threat upon refusal to convert. When Hindu women are in a relationship with non-Hindu men, there are cases where the woman faces threats or assault after she refuses to convert and change her religious identity owing to pressure/force by the non-Hindu man. Such relationships may be consensual with the religious identity of the non-Hindu man known to the victim. Somewhere along the relationship, the non-Hindu man starts pressurizing the Hindu woman to convert to Islam and upon her refusal, assaults or threatens the victim. Such cases are driven by specific religious motivations and against the religious identity of the victim and are therefore qualified as hate crimes. Cases where the Hindu woman converts to Islam and does not file a complaint about the force or threat, are not considered a part of the hate tracker, even though it may be argued that the woman was brainwashed or threatened to convert to Islam. This case is a glaring example of how deep-seated intolerance can manifest in violent and coercive actions, with the ultimate goal of religious subjugation and domination. The deliberate nature of the deception and the subsequent attempt to force conversion highlights the extent of disdain the accused harboured for the victim's faith, making this a clear case of religiously motivated hate. Many aspects mark this case as driven by hate and bigotry. First, she was pressured to convert to Islam and faced intimidation, physical assault, and psychological abuse when she resisted. The insistence on religious conversion, combined with threats and harm, demonstrates that the crime was driven by religious animosity. Further, the religious angle of the crime became more apparent when the Muslim man forced the woman to follow Islamic practices like wearing a burqa, reading namaz and eating beef. Forcing a Hindu to consume beef is not only a profound disrespect to their religious beliefs but also constitutes a religiously motivated hate crime. In Hinduism, cows are revered as sacred animals, symbolising life and sustenance, and the act of consuming beef is considered highly sacrilegious by many Hindus. Therefore, compelling a Hindu to eat beef goes beyond mere dietary imposition; it is an intentional violation of their religious principles and an assault on their cultural and spiritual identity. In the broader context of hate crimes, forcing someone to engage in behaviour that is expressly forbidden or offensive in their religion is a clear manifestation of religious intolerance. It demonstrates a blatant disregard for the victim's rights to practice their faith freely. Here, the actions of the perpetrator clearly point towards the deep disdain he harboured for Hindus and their religious beliefs. It is evident that the perpetrator targeted the victim because of her religious identity and that his motivation was driven by religious hate. Moreover, the victim was repeatedly subjected to sexual violence, forced abortions, and assault as part of an effort to break her resistance and force her into conversion. The use of violence as a means of coercion highlights the religiously motivated nature of the crime. Additionally, her belongings were taken, and she was physically and emotionally exploited, leaving her with little recourse. The pattern of abuse, intimidation, and assault makes it evident that this was not just a case of personal violence but a deliberate act of religious persecution, qualifying it as a hate crime. Disclaimer: Based on the victim's complaint, the primary perpetrator is Ahmed Raza, but his family members (parents and sisters) were also actively involved in the crime. Though the exact number of perpetrators is not clear, the complaint implicates at least four to five individuals. Conservatively we have recorded the victim count as 5 in the database.