3 arrested for illegal conversion of Dalit youth

NT Correspondent 

Bengaluru: The Banashankari police officials probing an illegal conversion case of a Dalit youth, arrested three persons, including a former corporator, for their alleged involvement in the forcible religious conversions. Sridhar Gangadhar, 26, a Mandya resident had filed a complaint against 12 people who had allegedly circumcised him, made him to eat beef and allegedly converted him to Islam against his wish. He also claimed to have been brutally tortured by the group. Initially, the complaint had been taken up by the Navanagar police at Hubbali. 

Later the case was handed over to the Banashankari police in Bengaluru for further investigation, sources said. On Wednesday, the police arrested a person identified as Nayaz Pasha, and another person, Ansar Pasha, a former Congress corporator, was arrested on Thursday morning. The other arrested accused have been identified as Haaji Saab, Ataur Rehman and Shoaib. So far the police have been able to nab only five out of the 12 accused in the case. A probe has been initiated to nab the other accused.

Details of the case: Sridhar Gangadhar, in his complaint, claimed that he had been friends with a person by name Rehman for the past two years. Recently he had told Rehman about his poor financial condition after which Rehman brought him to Bengaluru to meet another person named Aziz Saab. 

Gang adhar fur ther claimed to have been taken to many mosques around neighbouring states where he was forced to learn Qur'an and offer prayers in Islamic way. He stated that he was allegedly made to drink a liquid after which he had lost consciousness and when he regained consciousness, he found that he had been circumcised. "Fearing that I might cause trouble, the group held me captive and tortured me," he claimed in his statement to the police. 

He further said that the group allegedly handed him a pistol, took his photograph and threatened to project him as a terrorist if he did not convert at least three Hindus by the end of this year. Gangadhar also said that the group often met people from Iran and Iraq and showed them the converted Muslims to attract funds. Further investigation in the case is underway