No sign of ‘love jehad’ in Kerala, DGP tells court

Kerala’s Director-General of Police on Thursday informed the Kerala High Court that the police were looking into allegations that some organisations had devised plans for “compulsive or deceitful religious conversion” by winning over young women.

In a statement filed before the court, Jacob Punnoose said no organisation or movement called “love jehad” or “Romeo jehad” had been identified as working in the State and there was no evidence of such organisations. It had not been established that any particular organisation was actively engaged in such religious conversions.

The DGP, however, stated that there was unconfirmed information that some groups were actively working among youngsters encouraging conversions by using such techniques, and that young men engaged in such pursuits were said to be receiving funds from abroad directly or indirectly for purchasing clothes and vehicles and for availing themselves of legal help. They had links with other places in the country as well.

Justice K.T. Sankaran of the High Court had directed the DGP to file a statement on the alleged activities of “Romeo jehad” or “love jehad” or organisations that indulged in converting young women from other religions to Islam after professing love to them. The court issued the directive while considering anticipatory bail petitions filed by Shahan Sha and Sirajudeen, who had been charged with abducting and forcibly converting two women MBA students to Islam.

The DGP’s statement said a large number of inter-religious marriages were taking place and conversions were taking place on that basis. The details or number of such marriages were not readily available with the police. At the same time, there was reason to suspect that there were attempts to persuade young women to change their religion after they fall in love with Muslim boys.

The police would take “stern lawful action” against compulsive or deceitful religious conversions. The intelligence agencies of the police had been asked to monitor the activities of any organisation and group indulging in religious conversion.