A court in Uttar Pradesh has sentenced a Muslim man to life imprisonment for allegedly committing “love jihad,” a term used to describe the alleged coercion of non-Muslim women into converting to Islam. The accused, 25-year-old Mohammed Aalim Ahmed, was found guilty of forcing a Hindu woman to embrace Islam and marrying her while posing as a Hindu.
The fast-track court in Bareilly also sentenced Ahmed’s father, Sabir Alam, to two years in prison and imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh on both men. This verdict is notable as it marks the first life sentence under the Uttar Pradesh Unlawful Conversion of Religion (Amendment) Act of 2024. This law allows for severe penalties, including life imprisonment, for individuals found guilty of coercing religious conversions through threats, promises of marriage, or conspiracy.
The case began when the 20-year-old woman filed a complaint in May last year, claiming she was coerced into marrying Ahmed, who had taken on a Hindu identity. She alleged that Ahmed raped her multiple times and blackmailed her. The woman accused Ahmed and his family of forcing her to convert to Islam.
Although the judge, Ravi Kumar Diwakar, did not convict Ahmed under the anti-conversion law, he directed the state police chief and other officials to investigate further under this law. The judge described the case as a clear instance of “love jihad” and expressed concern that such actions could undermine national integrity, likening it to issues faced by countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan.
The term “love jihad” refers to a conspiracy theory suggesting that Muslim men deliberately target non-Muslim women to convert them to Islam through deception.
