R B Jagadish
Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala (DV)
Karkala, Jun 15: The police on Sunday June 15 released the youth accused of attempting to forcibly convert a girl to another religion, as no one came forward to file a complaint.
The girl, from Ajekar, belonging to the Bunt community, had gone missing on Friday June 13 and was found at Kasargod railway station with three men. When the railway police, who got suspicious, came forward to inquire, the youths accompanying her fled from the spot.
When the girl was questioned, it came to light that it was a case of forced conversion. Hasainar alias Rafique from Keyyur Janata Colony, Puttur taluk , had made reportedly all arrangements to take the girl, who was in love with him, to Ponnani for religious conversion. Youths from his own community also supported his move and escorted them upto the railway station.
It is learnt that the girl, working in a cashew factory in Muniyal near Karkala, had fallen in love with Hasainar who used to visit this factory often. Hasainar, who had the girl’s mobile number, frequently contacted her and won her confidence with assurances of marriage. He allegedly also pestered her to convert before marrying him.
Ajekar police also revealed that a few months ago, when the girl and Hasainar were together in Beltangady, the police had asked them to come to the station and advised them.
When railway police contacted Ajekar police station, the local police contacted her residence and came to know that the girl who went to the factory on Thursday June 12 never returned home.
Hasainar had plotted to keep all of the girl’s ornaments and cash for himself and send the girl to Ponnani, it is learnt. Ajekar police raided the house of the accused on Friday and arrested Hasainar alias Rafique and interrogated him.
However, no one - neither the girl, her family members, nor any organization - has come forward to file a complaint against Hasainar. Hence, the police freed the accused after taking his statement and warning him. Though police could have registered suo motu case, they did not do so.
The two youths who were with the accused, are from Uppinangady and no probe was conducted about their role in the matter, it is learnt.