Marriage after conversion in Palamu: Woman to be handed over to Chhattisgarh Police, protests break out

The incident of marriage after conversion has raised an uproar in Palamu. Many organisations staged protests while Palamu police said that the woman would be handed over to Chhattisgarh Police.

Palamu:In a case of alleged religious conversion in Jharkhand's Palamu, the woman and the accused youth have surrendered before police while various organisations protested against the incident. Palki MLA Dr Shashibhushan Mehta demanded action against the village headman and the panchayat official, accusing their involvement in the religious conversion case.

A married woman from Chhattisgarh was allegedly converted to marry a youth from Palamu. The Palamu police are questioning the two and will hand over the woman to the Chhattisgarh Police. The woman and the youth surrendered at Palamu divisional headquarters Medininagar Town Police Station late last night. After which, the Palamu Police contacted its counterpart in Chhattisgarh.

After getting information about the incident, relatives of the girl reached Palamu. Palamu SP Rishma Rameshan said that the girl had gone missing on June 26 and a case was registered in this connection at Chhattisgarh's Surajpur police station. He said that they were investigating a letter that has come to light in connection with the conversion and marriage case.

The girl's relatives pleaded before the Palamu police to hand over the girl to them, threatening to commit suicide. Police in turn explained to the relatives that the girl will be handed over to the Chhattisgarh Police. The girl and her entire family are residents of Surajpur in Chhattisgarh.

The incident has led to an uproar in Medininagar city on Monday. Several organisations launched protests against the incident. Led by BJP MLA from Panki, Dr. Shashibhushan Mehta, members of several organisations hit the road to protest against religion conversion. Also, a foot march was taken out to the collectorate office amid loud sloganeering.

Mehta alleged that the girl was kidnapped and converted. The administration should take action else the movement will be intensified, Mehta said. He handed a memorandum to Palamu SP Rameshan in this regard. Also FIRs were filed against the accused. Also, a similar demand has been made by the Parshuram Sena Yuva Vahini in a letter to Palamu SP. Another organisation, Sanatan Dharma Sabha has written to the SP demanding action against the accused youth.

The woman was married to a youth from Chhattisgarh and went missing while appearing for her BEd examination. Her relatives filed a police complaint. On August 2, they received a letter from Palamu police and the panchayat official wherein the incident of marriage after conversion came to light.