In a first in Karnataka, minor boy and father booked for ‘converting’ classmate to Islam

According to the complainant, he got suspicious about the behaviour of his son, a pre-university college student in Challakere taluk, after he stopped performing pooja and worshipping Hindu deities. The boy recently refused to participate in the Dasara celebrations, the complaint further said.

“Upon checking his bag, I found photos of my son performing namaz as well as skull caps in it. When I inquired, I found that the minor and his father had taken my son to mosques in various towns of Chitradurga district and converted him to Islam without permission. Also, when I checked his bag, I got some written materials pertaining to Islam. When I checked his mobile phone, I found some conversations related to drugs and ganja,” the father said in his complaint.

A police officer said the accused minor boy’s father owns a cycle repair shop and was friends with the other family. No one has been arrested in the case but statements have been collected from both sides, the officer added.

The case has been registered under the 2022 Act’s section 5 (prohibition of conversion from one religion to another religion by misrepresentation, force, fraud, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by promise of marriage).

Chitradurga SP Dharmendra Kumar Meena told reporters, “We are collecting details both from the victim and accused as part of the investigation.”