Madhepura: A controversial incident in Singheshwar, Madhepura, has sparked outrage after a Muslim boy allegedly married a minor Hindu girl in a temple by posing as a Hindu, leading to accusations of “love jihad” and a swift police intervention.
The incident unfolded on Wednesday afternoon at the Singheshwar temple premises. According to witnesses, the boy identifying himself with a Hindu name, garlanded the girl and applied vermilion to her forehead near the Dharamshala within the temple. However, the situation quickly turned confrontational when some individuals present recognised the boy as a Muslim resident of Satokhar, a village adjacent to Singheshwar.
Upon the revelation of his identity, the boy was reportedly assaulted by the crowd. When the girl also realised the boy’s true religious affiliation, she too allegedly struck him with a sandal.
Amidst the commotion, police from Singheshwar police station were informed and swiftly arrived at the scene, taking both the boy and the girl into custody. SHO Virendra Ram confirmed that both individuals are minors and stated that senior officers have been apprised of the incident.
Girl’s Account of Events
The minor girl provided a harrowing account to the police, stating that on Tuesday, while she was returning from her maternal grandmother’s house with a friend, the boy, introducing himself as “Sonu,” stopped her at a tea stall in Singheshwar. He allegedly offered to drop her home, but then mixed intoxicants into her tea, causing her to feel disoriented.
She claims she was repeatedly given intoxicants, rendered unconscious, and kept in a hotel overnight. In the morning, despite her insistence on returning home, she was again given intoxicants before being brought to the temple premises where the boy forcibly applied vermilion to her hair parting.
The victim’s mother, who reached the police station late on Wednesday evening, submitted an application alleging that “immoral acts” were committed with her daughter in the hotel at night, and that the marriage at the temple was forced.
Police Investigation Underway
Late on Wednesday night, Mahila Thana (Women’s Police Station) head Manju Kumari arrived at Singheshwar police station to question both individuals.
ASP Pravendra Bharti of Madhepura stated that while both were apprehended immediately after the information was received and brought to the police station, a preliminary assessment suggests the case “does not seem to be of love jihad.” He added that the female police station in-charge has been directed to investigate and take appropriate action, and that the police are thoroughly examining the matter.
