UP Teen’s Alleged Conversion Sparks Investigation by J&K Police

SRINAGAR:  In what marks the second alleged case of religious conversion in Jammu and Kashmir in the past two years, the police have once again moved swiftly, registering a case under the relevant provisions of law to initiate a formal investigation.

The latest incident emerged from frontier Kupwara district, where police registered FIR No. 133/2026 to investigate the alleged conversion of an 18‑year‑old barber, Vishal, a resident of Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh. Authorities stated that they had taken cognisance of the matter and initiated a formal investigation, urging the public not to circulate unverified information or fall prey to rumours.

According to officials, the case surfaced after Vishal’s family in Bijnor lodged a complaint alleging that he had been taken to Kupwara under the pretext of learning the barber trade and was subsequently converted to Islam. UP Police simultaneously registered a case against the accused, Waseem, who had reportedly taken the boy to Kashmir. The family claimed they learned of the conversion only after receiving a video in which Vishal announced he had adopted Islam. Police in both UP and J&K are coordinating to ascertain the circumstances under which the conversion occurred and whether coercion was involved.

This case follows a similar controversy from April 2024 in Srinagar, where a video went viral showing a man named Sandeep from Haryana reciting the Kalima Shahada at the Hazratbal shrine during Jumu’at‑ul‑Wida, the last Friday of Islamic month of fasting or Ramadhan. A cleric informs him that his Islamic name would be Muhammad Abdullah which he accepts.

In the video, the cleric was also seen asking him whether he was accepting Islam of his own free will, to which he responded affirmatively. However, the J&K Police later termed it a case of “forced conversion,” alleging that Sandeep had been mentally manipulated by his employer, Anayat Muntazir of Srinagar’s Nowhatta quarter, who allegedly coerced him into converting during Friday prayers.

The FIR filed at Nigeen Police Station cited concerns that the video’s circulation had the potential to disturb communal harmony and provoke sectarian tensions beyond J&K. Police invoked IPC sections 188, 298, 153, and 153‑A, which pertain to disobedience of public orders, deliberate intent to wound religious feelings, provocation with intent to cause riots, and promoting enmity between groups. A Sub‑Inspector was tasked with completing the investigation and submitting a report to senior officers. Notably, Sandeep later stated publicly that he had converted of his own free will, contradicting the police’s initial claims of coercion. He subsequently reaffirmed the statement in a local court.