Model accuses husband of harassment over 'love jihad'

Bandra Police registered an FIR against the husband of a former model on Saturday after she filed a complaint alleging that he has been forcing her to convert to Islam for the past 12 years. According to a report by The Hindu, senior police inspector Pandit Thackeray said that the 42-year-old former model arrived at Bandra police station at 2 am on Saturday with head injuries. He further added, "The complainant was crying. She told us that her husband, Asif, had started resorting to violence after she refused to convert to Islam.”

He also said that an officer dropped the former model, Rashmi Shahbazker, at her house in Bandra after she filed the complaint. Police said that a notice was issued to her husband.

The model said that her husband abused her physically and attempted to force her into converting to Islam. She said, "“For the past three months, Asif and his cousin Muneef have been saying every woman who marries a Muslim man should convert to Islam. They pressured me and Asif assaulted me when I refused to convert. He hit me with anything that he could lay his hands on, be it bottles, glasses or utensils. On Friday night, he smashed a beer bottle on my head.”

She also accused her husban of marrying a girl half her age four months ago abd then forced her to convert to Islam. She also claimed that Asif had barred her from meeting their seven-year-old son. She said, "He is raising our son to be like him, teaching him to despise other religions. I was heartbroken when my son recently told me that I am not a nice person as I do not offer namaaz and perform Hindu rituals instead.”

The police have registered a case of domestic violence against Asif and Muneef under Sections 354, 323, 324, 504, 506 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. Police is verifying the allegations. 

• india
• model
• harassment
• love jihad
• islam