Muslim Man's House Set On Fire By Mob In Agra Over Interfaith Affair: Here's What Happened

Police in Agra, Uttar Pradesh have arrested eight men for setting on fire two houses reportedly belonging to a Muslim man.

All the arrested men are said to be members of one “Dharam Jagran Samanvay Sangh”.

According to the police, a mob had set fire to the two houses in Agra's Runakta locality on Friday after a Muslim man who owned them eloped with a girl from another religion.

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Here is what happened

Sajid, a gym owner, had reportedly eloped with a woman, who is said to be 22 years old.

There are also some reports suggesting that she was a class 11 student.

She went missing on Monday and was traced two days later by police, but Sajid's whereabouts were not known.

Based on a complaint by the girl's family, a case was also registered under section 366 of the Indian Penal Code.

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The girl's family demanded action against the man alleging that he abducted the girl.?

However, in a video posted on social media, the woman said she is an adult and had gone willingly with the man. She also accused her family of threatening them. The girl said that the couple had already married.?

“Both are adults,” Agra's Senior Superintendent of Police Sudheer Kumar Singh said.

Police version of the events

"The stir occurred after he eloped with a girl from another religion on Monday morning. They were in an interfaith relationship. Angry over this, a mob vandalized his house and set it on fire," said the SSP.?

"A team of officials reached the incident spot immediately and brought the matter under control. Police arrested eight persons in the matter. For further investigation, six teams have been formed to search for other accused," he said.?

UP's love jihad law

In 2020 Uttar Pradesh had become the first state in India to pass a 'Love jihad' law.

The?Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, popularly known as 'Love Jihad' law provides for imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine of up to Rs 50,000 under different categories.

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According to the law? a marriage will be declared "null and void" if the conversion of a woman is solely for that purpose and those wishing to change their religion after marriage needs to apply to the district magistrate.

It also has a provision under which if someone returns to their original religion, it shall not be deemed a conversion.

While the onus to prove that the conversion has not been done forcibly will lie on the person accused of the act and the convert.

The legislation in Uttar Pradesh then went on to become the template for similar laws in other BJP-ruled states.

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