Youth Held for Alleged Forced Conversion and Marriage of Married Woman

In a major development from Uttarakhand, the Laksar police in Haridwar district have apprehended a Muslim youth, identified as Asif, for allegedly entrapping, forcefully converting, and marrying a Hindu woman hailing from Chhattisgarh. The legal action followed an official complaint lodged by Sandeep Kumar, district president of the Vishwa Hindu Mahasangh, leading to the registration of a formal case at the Laksar police station. Law enforcement authorities have initiated procedural steps to record the victim's official statement before the competent judicial magistrate as part of the ongoing probe.Sugar Mill Acquaintance, Village Relocation, and Renaming in KaliyarAccording to the police complaint, Asif, a resident of Nihandpur Suthari village located in the Sultanpur belt of Haridwar, met the woman while working at a sugarcane crushing facility in Chhattisgarh. In December 2025, the accused brought the woman from her workplace to his native village in Uttarakhand. Shortly thereafter, he transported her to the Kaliyar area, where she was allegedly subjected to religious conversion, had her name changed from Sukhmati to Shabnur, and was married. Investigating officials suspect that additional conspirators facilitated the conversion and marriage formalities, and their individual involvement remains under active scrutiny.First Wife Exposes Scheme as Police Inform Victim's FamilyDuring subsequent interrogation and background verification, investigators established that Sukhmati was already married, with her maternal roots located in the Manguli village of Panditaria district in Chhattisgarh. Inspector Praveen Singh Koshyari, in-charge of the Laksar police station, confirmed that Asif has been formally taken into custody and the woman's family members have been alerted. Notably, the alleged deception was first brought to light by Asif's own first wife, who reported to the police that her husband was cohabiting with another woman whom he had converted and wed. The revelation triggered significant outrage from local Hindu organizations at the police station on Tuesday, compelling prompt administrative and legal intervention.