BHOPAL: Acting on complaints filed by two women—a 21-year-old from Chhattisgarh and a 30-year-old Bhopal-based woman—Bag Sewania police on Sunday registered two separate FIRs on charges of rape and forced religious conversion against around half a dozen accused, including two women who are sisters, under relevant sections of the BNS and the MP Freedom of Religion Act. According to police, the accused woman and her gang befriended a needy woman and a young girl on the pretext of providing employment. They offered support, gained their trust, and then allegedly presented them before her brother and lover for sexual exploitation. The survivors were later allegedly pressured to convert. The gang allegedly forced them to read religious books and pressured them to marry Muslim youths. The survivors somehow managed to escape from their clutches. When they later came into contact with each other, the two approached Bag Sewania police station and lodged complaints exposing the entire racket. Police registered a case against the alleged mastermind Razia (name changed); her live-in partner Chandan Yadav, who allegedly converted; her brother Bilal; Yasir; sister Ayesha (name changed); and another associate. So far, police have arrested Razia, Ayesha, and Chandan. On Monday, they were produced before a court and taken on remand. According to Bag Sewania police, Razia Khan is the kingpin of the gang. She worked at a spa centre and was in a relationship with Chandan Yadav. In her complaint, the 30-year-old survivor stated that she is divorced and a mother of two children. She used to work at a catering agency and came into contact with Razia in 2024 at Ashima Mall. Razia allegedly offered her a babysitting job at her house with a salary of Rs 10,000 per month. The survivor accepted the offer and later began living with Razia and her partner Chandan at their residence. During this period, Chandan allegedly mixed an intoxicant in her tea and raped her. Later, Razia allegedly presented her to a friend from Jehangirabad and then took her to Ahmedabad, where she was allegedly sexually exploited by her brother Yasir. Razia and Chandan also allegedly pressured her to convert and discussed arranging her remarriage to a Muslim man. The survivor managed to escape from their clutches in February 2025. A similar complaint was filed by a 21-year-old beautician from Chhattisgarh. She stated that she met Razia’s sister-in-law Riya (name changed) at a friend’s birthday party. At the time, she was unaware that Riya had converted. Riya allegedly introduced her to Razia at Ashima Mall on the promise of a better job. Through Razia, she came into contact with Chandan, who allegedly forced physical relations with her. Subsequently, Razia’s brother Bilal and later Yasir in Ahmedabad allegedly sexually exploited her. When the survivor complained to her friend Riya, she came to know that Riya herself had married Razia’s brother Haider and changed her name. Riya allegedly told her that nothing happens and that she too had converted from Hinduism to Islam. Razia and Chandan allegedly harassed the survivor severely, took her to parties in revealing clothes, and pressured her to marry a Muslim man. They also allegedly asked her to adopt their religion, telling her: “Men in our community are good; they do not beat women or drink alcohol. You should adopt our religion and marry one of our men.” Bag Sewania SHO Amit Soni said that two separate cases of rape and forced religious conversion were registered based on the complaints of the two women. Three accused have been arrested so far, and efforts are underway to nab the remaining suspects.
