Love Jihad: Alarming Rise in Number of Perpetrators and Victims

published on July 29, 2014

There is an alarming rise in the number of girls being swindled by Jihadis, all in the name of love and romance. The next immediate step these Jihadis resort to is religious conversion to Islam.

A recent report, based on a study done in the last 30 days in the state of Kerala, shows as many as 272 cases of Love Jihad in various districts. This is the least, taking into account data furnished by Hindu Helpline and other similar organizations. Sources state that the actual cases stand legions more, where truth stands stifled owing to fear of humiliation and threat on life.

According to sources, the district of Kasargode stands way above others as looming grounds for perpetrators. Over 40 girls have fallen victim to Love Jihad in Kasargode alone, in a span of one month. The ploy being schemed out by the marauders is making advances towards girls hailing from families of those active in Hindutva activities.

24 girls have fallen prey in Kottayam district. Reports have also come in where many girls have committed suicide following humiliation or have made attempts in taking away their own lives, following extreme harassment by these Jihadis. Reports have given these as statistics, of those girls who have fallen prey to Love Jihad in a span of one month: Ernakulam- 39, Thiruvananthapuram- 27, Kollam- 17, Alappuzha- 13, Kozhikode- 23.

In Kannur, it is said that over 20 cases have been brought to the notice of Hindu Helpline. The scenario is no different in other districts.

Perpetrators are said to be resorting to new ways, which is said to have enhanced the number of victims as well. The latest tactic of Jihadis is targeting of girls from afluential families, working in fields related to science and technology and other areas of covetable studies. These girls are immediately taken to places of religious conversion like Ponnani.

As step one, they are thoroughly brainwashed which makes them easy victims for religious conversion. As a result, the girls are even quick to disown their own parents, giving the Jihadis an easy escape passage.

A recent trend that is being observed is marriage via Special Marriage Act, following which the victims are subject to various kinds of emotional and physical torture. They are thereafter converted. The trend came into light when as many as 8 girls, who had been victimized thus, approached the Hindu Helpline, seeking ways of securing divorce.

According to one of the victims, the Jihadis are said to ‘don a Hindu name, commit to a wedding ceremony in temples like SreeKrishna Temple at Guruvayur to make the victim feel at ease. They are then subject to religious conversion.”

“Even after staying together with these marauders, we are never able to collect enough data about them. There are girls working in Infopark, who have been victims. Even they are clueless about these marauders. Cases like a native of Kasargode masquerading as resident of Kollam after having procured fake certificates and registering their marriage in Thiruvananthapuram can keep identity of the Jihadi concealed. The marauder is said to have taken the victim to many places, which has left the victim clueless and furnish meager information, stating that the Jihadi has apartments at different places,” said sources.

Reports suggest that such marauders are on the rise and are on the lookout for new ways to lure victims and then make a beeline escape, once their mission of religious conversion is accomplished.