Minor tribal Hindu girl sexually exploited under pretext of marriage and lured away by Muslim man in Jharkhand

Case ID : e275044 | Location : Giridih, Jharkhand, India | Date of Incident : Wed, 14 June, 2023

Case ID : e275044

Giridih, Jharkhand, India

14 June, 2023

Minor tribal Hindu girl sexually exploited under pretext of marriage and lured away by Muslim man in Jharkhand

Undecided cases

Consensual relationship with Hindu minor

Rape or sexual harassment/assault of a Hindu woman

Abduction of minor

Case Summary

In Giridih district, Jharkhand, a 17-year-old tribal Hindu girl was sexually exploited by a Muslim man named Zubair Ansari under the pretext of marriage. Subsequently, the Hindu victim was lured away from her home by the perpetrator. According to media reports, the incident came to light when the victim’s brother submitted an application at Bhelwaghaty police station, lodging a complaint against Zubair Ansari of Lakadmarwa village for kidnapping his sister with the intent to marry. In the victim's brother's complaint, it was stated that on 15th June 2025, the girl was lured away from her home by Zubair Ansari. The victim's brother also stated that the accused had been sexually exploiting the Hindu victim for almost two years by promising to marry her. On 21st June 2025, when the victim's family visited Zubair's home, they found the girl present there. A case was registered at Bhelwaghaty police station against the accused. Under the leadership of Khori Mahua Sub-Divisional Police Officer Rajendra Prasad, a raiding team was formed, which arrested Zubair Ansari. After this, the victim was handed over to her family. Subsequently, members of the tribal community held a meeting at Phutka Bazar in Deori. They demanded that a case be registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the POCSO Act, and other relevant sections against the Muslim accused who lured away the victim. The locals also threatened that they would carry out a mass agitation if the authorities did not take strict action against the Muslim perpetrator.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

In this case, a minor Hindu girl was lured away by a Muslim man named Zubair Ansari. She was also subjected to sexual exploitation for two years by the accused under the pretext of marriage. This raises serious concerns about possible religious profiling of the victim, given numerous instances in which Muslim men target Hindu girls, particularly minors, rooted in deep-seated animosity towards the Hindu community. In such cases, the intent in targeting Hindu girls often involves sexual exploitation and attempts at forced conversion to Islam. With regard to this case, it could also be argued that if the Muslim perpetrator simply sought a relationship, a Muslim girl would be more accessible to him than a Hindu girl. The deliberate targeting of a Hindu girl strongly suggests that religious profiling might have played a role in the crime. However, it is equally possible that this is a crime of opportunity rather than an explicitly religiously motivated offence. It is also crucial to emphasise that the victim is a minor, and any supposed “consent” is legally invalid under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Minors are not capable of making adult decisions, such as entering a romantic relationship, marrying, or eloping. It is also important to acknowledge that, at this stage, there is no conclusive evidence confirming a religious motive, and the victim’s family has not made any statements to that effect. Accordingly, this case is currently placed in the “Undecided” database. If further information emerges indicating a religious motivation behind the crime, then this case will be reclassified and included in the hate crime database. Disclaimer: Media reports do not specify the exact date when the girl’s ordeal began. However, it does state that she was lured away on 15th June 2025 and also states that the accused has been exploiting her for two years. Therefore, for documentation, an indicative date of 15th June 2023 is used as the date of the incident, despite media reporting on 27th June 2025. Hinduphobia Tracker records the date when the victim’s ordeal begins rather than the date it is reported by the media.