Crowd Gathers Near Old Hubballi Police Station Over ‘Love Jihad’ Allegation

According to police, the situation escalated early in the day when a group of people went to the house of a gym trainer of another community at Vijayanagara, questioning his relationship with a girl from Vikasa Nagar. The person was allegedly assaulted and taken away in an autorickshaw before being left at a distance.

Police said the incident triggered a counter-reaction, with persons associated with the person later going to the girl’s house, leading to another confrontation. Meanwhile, members of Hindu organisations gathered near the police station, further heightening tension in the area.
Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar told reporters that the person sustained minor injuries and was treated at KMCRI.

“There was a clash, and the person sustained minor injuries and is out of danger,” he said, adding that no weapons were used.

“Later, a group associated with the boy allegedly went to the girl’s house and confronted them. One person was injured and hospitalised. No formal complaints have been filed by either side so far, though some individuals have been taken into custody. Action will be taken based on complaints,” the Commissioner added.

Members of Hindu organisations alleged that the case was one of “love jihad” and accused the person of trapping the girl. They claimed that the two had met at a gym and that he later used photos and videos to blackmail and harass her. They further alleged that when they confronted him, persons from his side attacked the girl’s house with bats and issued threats.

However, the person’s family refuted the allegations. His sister claimed that nearly 150 people gathered outside their house in the morning, assaulted her brother, and forcibly took him away. She maintained that the two were in a relationship and had even travelled together.

“This is not ‘love jihad’. They are making baseless allegations,” she said, adding, “Let them check his mobile phone. It will be clear where they have all been together.”

In a purported video statement, the girl alleged that she had met the person at a gym and later became friends with him. She claimed that when she visited his house, he gave her a drink after which she felt dizzy and was later shown a video, which she said was used to blackmail her. She alleged repeated harassment and claimed that he had targeted other girls similarly.

The girl’s mother also alleged that her daughter had been manipulated and threatened.