Why Was Indore Congress Councillor Booked for Alleged Funding of Religious Conversion?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Allegations against Anwar Qadri include 'love jihad' and funding religious conversion.
- Two suspects implicated Qadri during police investigations.
- Community activists played a crucial role in bringing the issue to light.
- Social media was utilized for manipulative tactics against victims.
- Ongoing investigations aim to ensure justice and community harmony.
Indore, June 17 (NationPress) A Congress Councillor from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, Anwar Qadri, has been charged for his alleged participation in 'love jihad' and for providing funding to a network involved in religious conversions, according to police reports.
A case was filed against Qadri at the Banganga police station in Indore following statements from two individuals who were apprehended for allegedly sexually harassing Hindu women and coercing them into changing their religion.
Indore's Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Rajesh Dandotiya, informed IANS that Qadri has been named as a co-accused in the case, which was initiated based on the testimony of the two individuals arrested for sexual harassment and religious conversion on Friday.
Additional DCP Dandotiya stated that extensive efforts are underway to locate and apprehend Qadri, with actions pending further investigation.
The issue first came to light when two women from the Hindu community sought assistance from local Hindu organizations on Friday.
In response, Hindu activists captured the two suspects and handed them over to the Banganga police.
Additionally, a video was circulated by Hindu activists showing the arrested individuals, identified as Sahil Shaikh and Altaf Ali, confessing to their crimes.
In the viral video, the duo claimed they operated under the instruction of Anwar Qadri.
They alleged that Qadri had urged them to target Hindu women, facilitate religious conversions, and force them into prostitution.
According to the accused, 'He (Qadri) has been financially supporting our efforts to pursue Hindu women for years,' they stated in the video.
Santosh Sharma, a leader of the Vishva Hindu Parishad in Indore, claimed that Altaf and Sahil targeted Hindu girls through social media platforms.
Sharma also accused Qadri, a prominent figure in the minority community in Indore, of involvement in multiple criminal activities.
'The accused befriended the victims by posing as Arjun and Raj on social media. Subsequently, they developed intimate relationships and began blackmailing them for religious conversion,' Sharma explained to IANS.