Hindu girls targeted by Muslim man disguising as Hindu, fake Instagram account recovered

Case ID : b45f6b0 | Location : Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India | Date of Incident : Sun, 12 January, 2025
Case ID : b45f6b0
location Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
date 12 January, 2025
Hindu girls targeted by Muslim man disguising as Hindu, fake Instagram account recovered
Crimes against women in relationships and other sexual crimes
Man pretends to be Hindu
Name Changed
Pattern of targeting Hindu women

Case Summary

In Indore, Madhya Pradesh, Zahid Khan was arrested for exploiting girls by assuming a false identity. The incident came to light when Hindu Jagran Manch activists apprehended him at Anger Strike Café in Malviya Nagar after receiving information about suspicious activities. Zahid initially identified himself as Rahul Singh but later admitted his real name during questioning. An investigation revealed that Zahid used a fake Aadhaar card under the name "Vedika Sharma" to lure girls and take them to hotels. Obscene photos and videos of multiple girls were recovered from his mobile phone. Additionally, Zahid confessed to operating an Instagram account under the alias "Rahul Singh" to attract girls. Hindu Jagran Manch workers handed him over to the MIG police station for further investigation. Authorities were examining his activities and the evidence found on his devices.

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 sub-category selected is- Man pretends to be Hindu. Further, within this, two tertiary categories- Name changed and Pattern of targeting Hindu women have also been selected, based on case details. 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 religious markers in this incident that make it a religiously motivated hate crime lie in the deliberate use of a false identity to exploit and deceive Hindu girls. Zahid Khan's choice to assume the Hindu name, "Rahul Singh," and later the fake Hindu identity of "Vedika Sharma" to lure and manipulate his victims is a clear indication of religious deception. This act of posing as someone of a different religion to exploit vulnerable individuals is deeply problematic as it not only reflects a predatory modus operandi but also highlights an underlying agenda that involves using religious identity as a tool for manipulation. By intentionally hiding his true Muslim identity, Zahid Khan was targeting Hindu girls, further reinforcing the religious aspect of his actions. The use of deception in this manner points to a deeper pattern of predatory proselytization and harassment, where the perpetrator exploits religious boundaries to gain trust and manipulate victims. This deliberate targeting of Hindu girls under false pretences, particularly for exploitative and harmful purposes, makes it a religiously motivated act of hate. Further, in this case, there is a broader pattern which appears to target Hindu women specifically. This pattern of targeting Hindu women not only reflects a predatory approach but also demonstrates a deeper animosity toward their religious and cultural background. The fact that the accused faked their identities and selectively targeted only Hindu women reveals an ingrained disdain for the Hindu faith, making this a clear instance of religiously motivated hate and violence.

Case Status Background
Gavel Icon

Case Status


Arrested

Case Status Background
Gavel Icon

Perpetrators Details

Perpetrators


Muslim Extremists

Perpetrators Range


One Person

Perpetrators Gender


male

Case Details SVG
The details of each case are updated till the day it has been added to the database. It is not practical for us to manually track the progress of every case listed in the Hinduphobia Tracker database. If you have additional information which you believe should reflect here, please provide additional details by clicking the button below. If you believe this case should not be considered a religiously motivated hate crime, you can proceed to raise a dispute using the same button.
Please note the case ID: b45f6b0 <click to copy case id>, you must enter the same in the form which will pop up after clicking the button.