Dalit family testifies conversion due to Islam’s goodness, but Hindu groups protest in Nuh

Despite testifying before the court that he was not forced but converted due to the goodness of Islam, Hindu organisations are protesting in Nuh against Muslim men, alleging systematic conversion of Hindus in the region.

The controversy began after Chetram, a mason from Marora village who now identifies himself as Mohammed Ikram, along with his wife Rekha, now called Rukhsa, and their three children, adopted new names and embraced Islam, according to The Observer Post.

His brother, Satbi, filed a complaint at Nagina police station, accusing two men, Shahid and Sirajuddin, of coercing and enticing the family into conversion, while Chetram submitted an affidavit asserting that his family had chosen their new faith on their own volition and without any pressure or inducement.

Chetram and his wife appeared in Nuh court, where they reiterated their stand, yet their statements and even video evidence of their voluntary acceptance failed to ease tensions in the village, as Hindu organisations gathered in protest outside the police station and alleged that the incident reflected a wider effort to convert Hindus in the district.

Leaders claimed that people from marginalised communities were being specifically targeted, and they convened a panchayat in which they warned of larger agitations if authorities failed to respond, while also submitting a memorandum to the state government demanding intervention.

Marora village, which has a population of around 6,000 predominantly Muslim residents and just 15 Scheduled Caste Hindu families, has now been thrust into the spotlight as the case has escalated into a communal flashpoint with calls for a district-wide Mahapanchayat if action is not taken.

Meanwhile, the police reported that Chetram and his family have gone into hiding after their court appearance, as they are believed to be facing threats and may be seeking protection from the authorities.