Accusations of a love trap lead to rising political tensions as community demands action
Mohammad Alamullah | Clarion India
NEW DELHI – In a case that has sparked outrage, a 13-year-old Muslim girl from Chirakota village in Assam’s Dhubri district has allegedly been kidnapped by a youth from Uttar Pradesh, after being lured into a love trap. The incident has led to growing anger in the local Muslim community, which is questioning the perceived double standards in police actions.
The girl’s father claims that the accused, identified as Premchand alias Lucky, who works at a Balaji brick industry in Dhubri, befriended his daughter and eventually took her away. Fearing that his daughter may be sold into prostitution or human trafficking, the father filed a complaint with the local police station over a week ago. However, the police have yet to take any significant action, causing frustration within the community.
Several workers from the brick industry who knew Premchand have come forward, confirming that he left with the girl and travelled back to Uttar Pradesh. Despite these testimonies, the police have not made any progress in the case. The girl’s family and locals have expressed growing discontent, pointing out a stark contrast in the way police treat cases involving Muslim youths and non-Muslim offenders.
“Every time a Muslim boy is involved in a similar situation, he is quickly arrested and accused of love jihad,” said the girl’s father. “But here, when the accused is non-Muslim, the police seem indifferent. Why this double standard?”
The community is accusing the authorities of turning a blind eye to the crime due to the religious identities of the accused and the victim, further intensifying the local anger.
Senior Advocate Ilyas Ahmed, a prominent figure in the state’s legal community, voiced his concern. “Had this been a Hindu girl, this matter would have been labelled as love jihad and the police would have acted swiftly,” Ahmed said. “But since it involves a Muslim girl, the response has been lethargic. This is a grave injustice.”
Advocate Ahmed has called for urgent intervention from both the Assam government and the police, urging them to take immediate action and arrest the accused. He emphasised that the police’s failure to act in such a case would only serve to deepen divisions and raise questions about the impartiality of law enforcement.
In the face of growing protests, villagers and members of the local Muslim community are demanding that the authorities address their concerns and stop the apparent bias in police actions. “The law must be applied equally, regardless of the community the victim or the accused belongs to,” one resident stated.
As the family waits for justice, the case highlights broader issues of perceived discrimination and the need for equal protection under the law for all citizens, regardless of their religious background.
