State police chief Behera denies confirming love jihad cases in Kerala
- DGP Loknath Behera denied reports which quoted him as having confirmed the prevalence of 'love jihad'
- However, the DGP said the police are "keeping an eye on allegations" from various quarters in this regard
- Behera said the Supreme Court had ordered an inquiry into such allegations in a case
FollowAmidst allegations about the prevalence of 'love jihad' in Kerala, state police chief Loknath Behera has said there has been no information so far to confirm its existence.Â
Director General of Police (DGP) Behera made the statement while denying reports which quoted him as having confirmed the prevalence of 'love jihad' in the state.Â
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In some sections of the media, it was reported that Behera has confirmed that love jihad exists in Kerala. However, the state police chief said these reports are not correct and that his comment has been "totally misunderstood".Â
However, the DGP said the police are "keeping an eye on allegations" from various quarters in this regard. "What I have said is that we are keeping an eye on allegations from various quarters that there is radicalisation through conversion using various means taking place in Kerala," he pointed out.Â
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Behera said the Supreme Court had ordered an inquiry into such allegations in a case. "So, it is our duty to find out whether it is correct or not. Till now, we do not have any data to confirm whether the so-called love jihad is prevalent in Kerala," he added.Â
The Supreme Court recently ordered the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe a case of conversion and marriage of a Hindu woman to a Muslim man, popularly known as the Hadiya case, as the agency claimed it was not an isolated incident but a "pattern" was emerging in Kerala. The Kerala High Court had earlier annulled the marriage, holding that the case was an instance of love jihad.
