First case of Gujarat Freedom of Religion Amendment Act registered at the Gotri Police Station

The first case was registered at the Gotri Police Station in Vadodara after the state government implemented the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Amendment Act. The youth forged a friendship with a Hindu girl claiming to be a Christian and got married to her. The case then reached the police station after he beat her and uttered racial slurs. Police have arrested the youth in the incident and initiated further action.

Increasing number of cases of religion conversion were reported. The state government enacted the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Amendment Act 2021 and was implemented from 15th June. The first case was reported in Vadodara three days after the new law came into force.

DCP of Zone 2 Jayveersinh Vala said that through social media, the accused befriended a Hindu girl by assuming a Christian name Martin Sam. He forced her to have physical relation with him by giving her false hopes of marriage. He clicked her pictures and molested her after threatening her about making her photos go viral on social media.

After the incident, the alleged accused took the girl to a mosque and forcibly married her. The girl was then forced to convert to Islam and racial slurs were used against her parents and registered the marriage.

Eventually, the girl lodged a complaint against the youth at the Gotri police station. Gotri police have registered a case against the youth under the Rape and Atrocities Act and sections of Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act 2021 and arrested him.