Love Jihad Case: 16-Year-Old Hindu Girl Trapped by Sheikh Posing as Ram

 

In a chilling exposé of the growing menace of love jihad, a 16-year-old Hindu girl from Bihar was deceived into marriage by a Muslim man, Sheikh, who posed as a Hindu named Ram in Haryana’s Karnal.

 

Nine months after their union, the minor was coerced into prostitution at a spa centre, where she contracted HIV, an ordeal that came to light after a police raid on March 8, coinciding with Women’s Day.

 

The case has reignited outrage over the sinister pattern of love jihad, with authorities now hunting the accused and probing a possible conversion angle amid a nationwide surge in such incidents.

 

The victim’s nightmare unfolded when she was injured in an accident, and a medical examination revealed her HIV-positive status.

 

According to her complaint, she trusted Sheikh, believing him to be a Hindu, only to discover his true identity post-marriage. He allegedly pressured her into working at a spa, where she was exploited daily by 1-2 men.

 

 

“I told him about my illness, but he forced me to continue,” she told the police, exposing the brutality of her entrapment.

 

Acting on a tip-off, Karnal police raided the spa centre on March 8, rescuing the teenager. She was immediately shifted to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) for counselling, where she recounted her harrowing tale.

 

“She’s traumatised and in shock,” said CWC chairman Umesh Chanana, adding that efforts are underway to locate her family.

 

The City Police Station has booked Sheikh, the spa operator, and others involved, with a manhunt launched to apprehend the culprits.

 

This case adds to the alarming wave of love jihad incidents reported in 2025, where Hindu girls are allegedly targeted, deceived, and exploited under the guise of love and future security.

 

Police are now tracing clients of the spa centre to curb the spread of HIV and investigate further.

 

This love jihad case comes amid escalating concerns over love jihad across India. On March 8, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav announced plans for a death penalty provision targeting religious conversions of girls linked to such cases, signaling a crackdown.

 

Earlier, on February 28, a Bajrang Dal tableau in Bihar’s Munger, themed around love jihad, stirred controversy during Shivratri celebrations, drawing flak for inciting tensions.

 

Meanwhile, on February 19, the BJP’s push for a love jihad law in Maharashtra faced opposition, with critics alleging it unfairly targets Muslims.

 

 

 

Experts warn that love jihad is emerging as a systematic racket, with vulnerable girls lured by false identities and promises of love, only to face coercion, trafficking, and abuse.

 

In Karnal, the victim’s placement in a child protective facility marks a small step toward justice, but her story underscores the dark reality of this growing threat.