In a disturbing case that has sparked serious concerns about radicalisation networks, a Dalit minor girl from Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj district was allegedly abducted, taken to Kerala, forcibly converted to Islam, and pressured to undergo training for Jihad.
The case came to light after the girl’s mother, Guddi Devi, complained to the Phulpur Police on June 28. Two suspects — a local woman and a man — have been arrested, and police are now investigating possible links to a Kerala-based radicalisation module.
The Alleged Abduction and Journey to Kerala
According to police, the incident began on May 8 when the girl, a resident of Lilhat village in Prayagraj, went missing after attending a wedding in her locality.
She was last seen at around 10 PM. Investigators allege that 19-year-old Kahkashan, also known as Darkasha Bano — a woman from the same village — approached the girl with promises of money and a better life. Bano reportedly spoke to her about the virtues of Islam in a bid to persuade her.
Bano then contacted Mohammad Kaif, a man from nearby Phulpur. He arrived on a motorcycle, picked up both Bano and the girl, and took them to Prayagraj Railway Junction. During the transit, police said the minor was also sexually molested.
From Prayagraj, the two allegedly travelled by train to Delhi and then on to Thrissur, Kerala. Bano was reportedly in frequent communication with a man named Taj Mohammad throughout the journey, informing him that she was en route and had brought a girl with her.
Detention and Escape
In Thrissur, the girl was reportedly taken to a house where she saw several other men and women, including individuals with long beards. According to her statement, she was pressured to convert to Islam and was exposed to discussions about Jihadist training.
Feeling threatened and frightened, she managed to flee the location and reached the Thrissur railway station, where she was found by local police.
Authorities in Kerala placed the girl under the care of the state’s Child Welfare Committee (CWC). Eventually, with assistance from Phulpur Police, her family brought her back to Uttar Pradesh, where she was admitted to a government-run One Stop Centre for victims of violence.
Criminal Case and Arrests
Following her return, Guddi Devi filed a formal complaint on June 28. She also revealed that she had received threats from Bano, who allegedly called from an unknown number and threatened to kill her if she spoke up.
Based on the complaint, a case was registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, and both Bano and Kaif were arrested shortly thereafter.
Prayagraj DCP Ganga Nagar, Kuldeep Singh Gunawat, confirmed the arrests and said that Bano appears to be part of a wider, organised network that targets vulnerable girls — particularly those from poor and Dalit communities — for conversion and indoctrination.
“The evidence so far suggests the involvement of an organised gang engaged in anti-national activities. The girl was lured, brainwashed, and taken across states. Bano and her associates used inducements and threats to push conversion and possible terror training,” he said.
Ongoing Investigation
Taj Mohammad, the man who was repeatedly in contact with Bano during the journey, is a person of interest and is believed to be residing in Thrissur. Kerala Police have launched a manhunt for him following information shared by the Prayagraj Police.
Three dedicated police teams have been formed to investigate the network. Investigators are also probing whether the accused were receiving foreign funding or were connected to banned extremist groups.
DCP Gunawat also pointed out a chilling historical parallel: Phulpur — where Kaif hails from — was the site of a major counter-terror operation nearly two decades ago.
In 2006, a man named Waliullah was arrested there for sheltering four terrorists and storing their weapons. These individuals had reportedly conducted reconnaissance missions in Ayodhya and other sensitive areas.
Police say they are treating the current case with utmost seriousness and that all angles, including trafficking, coercion, terrorism, and organised conversion networks, are being thoroughly examined.