In a bizarre incident, a youth identified as Rohit Kumar reportedly committed suicide after facing pressure from some individuals to convert to Islam.
The incident took place in the Auraiya district last Saturday but only came to light after a video went viral on social media. In the video, Rohit stated that the accused, Sattar and Salmann, had filed a ‘false case’ against him, and were pressuring him to marry a Muslim girl and convert to Islam. Rohit’s family members allege that Sattar and Salman filed a case against Rohit under the POCSO Act after he refused to accept Islam.
However, before committing suicide by consuming poison on last Saturday, Rohit expressed his emotional state through a video message. The complaint in this regard has been filed at the Vidhuna police station of Auraiya district and the police nabbed one accused.
Rohit’s mother, Sarojini Devi, a resident of Barke Purva village, has filed the complaint in which she said that Rohit and Sattar were good friends and they used to visit each other quite often. In the course of visits, Rohit got acquainted with Sattar’s daughter.
She alleged that Sattar wanted to get his sister married to Rohit. Therefore, he along with Salman and Bunty Khan pressured Rohit to accept Islam but Rohit refused to leave the Hindu religion.
The accused then lodged an FIR against Rohit at Sahar police station in Auraiya September 6 last, accusing Rohit of kidnapping and raping his minor sister. They also named Anuj and Aryan Khan in the FIR for assisting Rohit in the kidnapping. Based on the FIR, the police then arrested Rohit under POSCO Act.
However, the sister of the deceased said that the girl who was claimed to be a minor by Salman was an adult.
After spending some time in jail, started earning his living by driving an e-rickshaw. On November 15, Sattar, along with Salman, Bunty Khan, Dulli Khan, Tunnan Khan and Vakil Khan reached Rohit’s house with weapons in their hands to pressurise Rohit to convert to Islam.
They even threatened him that his parents too would be sent to jail if did not convert to Islam.
Sarojini Devi claimed that the villagers’ intervention saved her family’s life but Sattar and his associates continued to press Rohit to accept Islam. On last Saturday evening, Rohit narrated his entire ordeal in a video and then consumed poison. He accused Sattar’s family members of torturing him in the video.
The police confirmed the incident and acknowledged Rohit Kumar’s viral video where he had stated that he was being pressured to convert to Islam. “Rohit was in jail under POCSO and was also charged under section 376 of IPC. However, he was released on bail on 3rd November on the orders of the High Court. He was being pressured to convert so he consumed poison on November 18 and died during treatment. One person has been arrested. Others are being looked for,” police said.
Police registered a case against Sattar, Salman, Bunty, Vakil, Dulli and Tunnan Khan under sections 147, 506, and 306 of Indian Penal Code along with section 3/5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act. According to Auraiya Superintendent of Police Charu Nigam, one accused has been arrested and the rest are being looked for and the matter is being investigated.