Student killed in Uzbekistan; back home in Kerala, family links it to conversion bid

The student was a first-year medical student at Bukhara State Medical Institute in Uzbekistan.

The alleged accused, Sadarul Anam, 22, is a native of Pulamanthole in Malappuram district. He was arrested following the incident.The alleged accused, Sadarul Anam, 22, was arrested following the incident. (Credit: Unsplash)

A medical student from Kerala was killed in Uzbekistan, allegedly by her classmate, who is also from the state. The victim’s family has further alleged in a police complaint filed in Kerala that she was being forced into religious conversion.

The victim has been identified as Sawariya Basanth, 21, a native of Harippad in Alappuzha district. She was a first-year medical student at Bukhara State Medical Institute in Uzbekistan.

The alleged accused, Sadarul Anam, 22, is a native of Pulamanthol in Malappuram district. He was arrested following the incident. Sawariya’s body was flown to Kerala, where a second postmortem was conducted Thursday following a complaint from her family.

The body was cremated Thursday. Back in Kerala, Harippad Police also registered a murder case based on a complaint filed by Sawariya’s father, Basanth, who is employed in Kuwait.

Harippad SHO V Vishnu said: “We have registered a case under section 103 (murder) of BNS. We are yet to get official details of the crime from law enforcement agencies in Uzbekistan. The postmortem conducted in Alappuzha medical college has prima facie indications of physical assault. We will examine the legal standing of the case registered in Kerala for the crime recorded in Uzbekistan”.

Basanth’s relative Janeesh told the media that Sadarul had been “forcing Sawariya to convert”.

Physically assaulted, say classmates

“Her classmates had informed us that she was physically assaulted many times. He had been forcing her to get converted, but she resisted it. Her friends are privy to these incidents,” Janeesh said.

Police said the family, in its complaint, had also raised the allegation of an attempted forced conversion.

 

 

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More

 

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