After facing charges for ‘love jihad’, woman files POCSO case against husband in Karnataka

Gadag: A woman, who was facing love jihad charges, has filed a POCSO case against her husband in retaliation in Karnataka’s Gadag district, police said on Wednesday.

Given the sensitivity of the matter, the jurisdictional Gadag Shahar police have issued notices to both families, requiring them to appear for questioning.

The Hindu man had fallen in love with a Muslim woman and married her. He later alleged that he was unknowingly converted to Islam and had his name changed in a mosque. He subsequently filed a police complaint, making allegations of “love jihad” against his wife and her parents.

In retaliation, the wife has now lodged a POCSO case against her husband.

She alleges that the accused forced her into a physical relationship when she was 17 years old and trapped her into loving him.

The police said that she filed the POCSO case at the Gadag Women’s Police Station.

The police stated that the man and woman were in love for three years and married on November 26, 2024, at a sub-registrar’s office. Later, upon learning of the marriage, the woman’s family expressed a wish to arrange a marriage ceremony according to Muslim traditions.

On April 25, a Nikah ceremony was arranged. However, the man claims he later discovered that his name had been changed to a Muslim name in the documents he signed during the ceremony. He stated that the name change went unnoticed as it was written in Urdu. He had lodged a case against his wife and her parents at the Gadag Shahar police station.

The man alleged that even before the marriage, his wife’s family had been pressuring him to offer namaz five times a day and attend the community’s jamaat gatherings.

He further maintained that accepting his love, his parents came forward to conduct a marriage ceremony as per Hindu customs. Accordingly, woman’s family was informed. However, despite initially agreeing to the decision, the girl’s family later refused to consent to a Hindu-style wedding.

The man stated that there was constant pressure to adopt the Muslim faith and alleged that because he did not agree to convert to Islam, the wife’s family began distancing her from him.

The man has denied his wife’s allegations. The police have initiated further investigation.

IANS