Hindu woman targeted by Muslim pretending to be Hindu to marry her, stops her from practising her faith, assaults for refusal
Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh, India 
16 November, 2024
Case Summary
In Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh, a 55-year-old Muslim man named Murad Ali was accused of deceiving Hindu women by adopting a false Hindu identity, posing as "Pappu Singh." A 50-year-old Hindu woman, who had lived with him for 24 years, filed a police complaint against him on November 17, stating prolonged deception, abuse, and threats. The police have since arrested Murad Ali. The victim, a widow and mother of three, recounted meeting Murad Ali shortly after her husband’s death. At the time, he introduced himself as "Pappu Singh," a driver for government officers. Their acquaintance grew into a relationship, with Murad promising to support her children as a father figure. However, the victim became suspicious when Murad refused to take her to his ancestral home in Sultanpur. Investigating his background, she discovered his true identity as Murad Ali. Initially, she distanced herself from him, but he convinced her to stay by promising to convert to Hinduism permanently. Despite his assurances, Murad reverted to his original practices and began bringing other Hindu women into his life. The victim said that Murad and his family opposed her wearing traditional Hindu symbols like bangles, a bindi, and mehendi. When she resisted, he physically abused and threatened her. Over the years, he confiscated her jewellery and used a fake Aadhar card in the name of "Pappu Singh" to deceive other Hindu women. The victim also accused Murad of attempting to rape her minor daughter in 2014. Although she reported the incident to the police, the case was suppressed by influential officers. The victim said that Murad was involved in multiple fraudulent activities, including marrying another Hindu woman using his fake identity. Despite being caught by authorities multiple times with different women, he managed to evade consequences, allegedly due to his connections as a driver for senior officials. Additionally, Murad frequently travelled to Saudi Arabia, raising further suspicions about his activities. The victim asserted that he was planning another trip to Saudi Arabia at the time of his arrest on November 21. The police registered an FIR against Murad Ali under various sections of the IPC. He was arrested and taken into custody on the day he was allegedly preparing to leave for Saudi Arabia.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category of- Crimes against women in relationships and sexual crimes. Under this, the first sub-category chosen is- Man pretends to be Hindu. Further, two tertiary categories- Name changes and Pattern of targeting Hindu women, have also been selected here, 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 second sub-category relevant here is- Desecration of Hindu symbols in relationship. When Hindu women are in a relationship with non-Hindu men, there are cases where the woman faces insult and desecration of her faith (Hinduism) and its symbol because of the inherent disregard for polytheism of the non-Hindu partner. 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 desecrating the religious symbols of the Hindu partner out of spite for her faith. Such cases are driven by specific religious motivations and against the religious identity of the victim and are therefore qualified as hate crimes. In this instance, the Muslim perpetrator concealed his religious identity to deceive and trap the Hindu woman, demonstrating clear bias and malicious intent toward her religion. This act of deception severely compromises the woman’s ability to make informed decisions regarding her relationship and religious choices. Furthermore, once the accused’s true identity as a Muslim man was revealed to the Hindu woman, and she decided to distance herself from him, he deceitfully promised to convert to Hinduism. This promise was a manipulative tactic to maintain control over her, rather than a genuine intention to adopt her faith. Using this false assurance, the accused continued to emotionally manipulate and exploit the woman, further entangling her into a cycle of deceit and harm. However, his true intentions were revealed when he and his family started opposing her wearing traditional Hindu symbols like bangles, a bindi, and mehendi. When she resisted, the accused physically abused and threatened her. The accused also tried to rape the victim's minor daughter. The fact that the Muslim perpetrator exploited the victim's trust by targeting her under false pretences indicates a premeditated intent to manipulate her based on her religious background. In cases like these, the tactic of adopting a false Hindu identity to manipulate and "ensnare" a Hindu individual is not just an act of personal betrayal but can also be interpreted as an expression of disdain or disregard for Hinduism and its customs that reflects a deeper animosity towards Hindus and their beliefs, and this is why this case has been added here. Here it is also important to note that the Muslim perpetrator is a repeat offender. He had previously also targeted a Hindu woman. When a perpetrator specifically targets women of a particular faith, the crime transcends mere random violence; it becomes an act deeply rooted in religious intolerance. Such targeting is not only an attack on the individual but also a symbolic assault on the entire community that the victim represents. The perpetrator’s actions may be driven by a desire to assert religious superiority, to humiliate the community, or to forcefully impose their own beliefs on others. This is particularly evident when the crime involves elements like forced conversion, physical or sexual violence, or psychological manipulation intended to strip the victim of her religious identity. This type of targeted violence is not just an individual crime but a hate crime with broader social and religious implications. It stems from the perpetrator's deep animosity towards the victim's faith. This is also why this case has been included in the tracker.
Victim Details
Total Victim
2
Deceased
0
Gender
- Male 0
- Female 2
- Third Gender 0
- Unknown 0
Caste
- SC/ST 0
- OBC 0
- General 0
- Unknown 2
Age Group
- Minor 1
- Adult 1
- Senior Citizen 0
- Unknown 0
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
