Athira, the missing Hindu girl, returns as Ayesha after converting to Islam
By Team Asianet Newsable | First Published Aug 1, 2017, 12:12 PM IST- Athira left home on July 10 and had left a letter explaining that she is leaving for studying Islam
- Parents filed a missing complaint and the girl later surrendered before police as Ayesha
- At High Court, she demanded that the parents allow her to follow her newly adopted religion
Athira, the Kerala girl who left the house to study Islam, returned after a month as Ayesha, after conversion. The girl appeared before Kerala High Court after her father had filed a Habeas Corpus petition and court sent her along with parents.
However, Ayesha requested the court to instruct parents that they won't force her to accept Hinduism on reaching home.
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Athira left home on July 10 and had left behind a 15-page letter explaining how she got attracted to Islam and that she was keen to study the religion.
However, her parents were not convinced with her explanation and filed a missing complaint with police stating that the girl is missing and they doubt some ISIS connection.
There were rumours that this is yet another case of love jihad.
Also read: Week after she left to study Islam, Hindu girl still missing
Following this police launched a search, and the girl surrendered at Hosdurg police station. She told the police that she was at her friend's place to study Islam religion and the reports about her joining ISIS were baseless.
When Athira was produced before Hosdurg Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, she stood by her claim that no one forced her to convert and that she is not ready to go with parents.
"I love my parents, but I am keen on Islam religion. If my parents provide me with all the assistance to study Islam religion, then I will live with them. She further stated that no body had kidnapped her and she was at her friend's place in Kannur," she said.
The court ruled that since Adira is a mature girl, she has every right to lead a life on her own terms and that the girl be given accommodation at Paravanadka Mahila Mandir near Kasargod till she leaves for Manjeri to study Islam.
However, when the matter came before High Court, the girl agreed to go with her parents to their native place Uduma, in Kasargod, if they promise to allow her to continue in her newly adopted religion. Following this court left her with the parents.
Meanwhile, the bench also ordered that the parents can seek police protection for the girl, if necessary, and should make sure that she won't get a chance to mingle with anyone suspected to have ISIS links.
There are reports that several cases of religious conversion are being reported from Kasargod.
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