Kerala love-jihad case: Women say they were lured, brainwashed, converted to Islam

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA), that is probing 90 cases of inter-faith marriages in Kerala, received testimonies from two women who have claimed to have been lured and converted to Islam. 

The women, both named Athira, reportedly told NIA that they were lured and brainwashed before the conversion.

One of the two recently reconverted to Hinduism after converting to Islam a few months back. She said that she was infuenced by Zakir Naik videos on Islam and also after observing her Muslim friends. 

As told by a source, the other woman had eloped with a Muslim man and converted herself to Islam to the nuptial knot with him. 

Several Hindutva groups have alleged a conspiracy behind cases of marriage between Muslim men and Hindu women, and have termed the trend love jihad.

The NIA suspects the role of Popular Front of India in both the cases. 

The Kerala Police recently provided a list of 90 cases of inter-faith marriages in the state to the NIA. The cases involve marriages of men and women of three faiths — Hindu, Christian and Islam.

The Supreme Court had earlier asked the investigation agency to probe 'love jihad' case in Kerala following a petition by a Kerala-based Muslim man whose marriage with a Hindu woman last December was annulled by the Kerala High Court.

The case hit the headlines after a 24-year-old Homeopathy doctor converted to Islam to marry a Muslim man from Kollam in Kerala. 

Her father approached the high court in May, alleging in his petition that there was a “well-oiled systematic mechanism” for conversion and Islamic radicalisation.

Later, the High Court annulled the marriage, terming it a case of 'love-jihad' and sent the woman back to her father's cutody.