Assam: Love jihad behind Golaghat triple murder, says CM Himanta Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday (July 26) claimed that the recent triple murder in Golaghat was an outcome of love jihad, and said the chargesheet would be filed within 15 days to try the culprit in a fast-track court.

On Monday, a 25-year-old man killed his wife and her parents over some family issues, and later surrendered before the police in Golaghat district.

Sarma who visited the family of the deceased asserted that the triple murder case proves “love-jihad is a truth and realistic concept”.

#WATCH | Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma meets family members of triple murder case victim Golaghat. pic.twitter.com/rnsYiWOlYM

— ANI (@ANI) July 26, 2023

Love jihad is a term often used by right-wing activists to allege a ploy by Muslim men to lure Hindu women into religious conversion through marriage.

Deceased family was Hindu

“The deceased family was Hindu and the accused belongs to the Muslim community. He first introduced himself with a Hindu name on Facebook… the woman learnt to use drugs when the couple had gone to Kolkata,” the chief minister said.

“Information has been received that the accused, a mechanical engineer, was a drug addict and involved with trafficking of contraband substances,” Sarma said.

“The woman was given injectable drugs under the influence of which she was impregnated. She was tortured when she went to live at the house of the accused, and returned to her maternal home later,” he claimed.

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Sarma said the woman had filed a complaint alleging torture, and her husband was jailed.

“I am personally concerned about such a case in which religious identity is hidden on Facebook to influence a woman for marriage, and at last such a situation is created that she cannot return. Even if she returns, the society will not accept her,” the chief minister said.

“In such a situation, she ultimately converts her religion, sacrifices everything, and assimilates into a different life,” he said.

“A proper investigation will be conducted, and I hope that further details will be revealed after that… We will take the strictest possible action and no one will be spared,” he asserted.

Chargesheet to be filed within 15 days

Sarma, who also holds the Home portfolio, said it is an “open-and-shut case” and police will file the chargesheet within the next 15 days.

He has discussed the case with the Range DIG and Golaghat SP for setting up a fast track court as well as appointing a special public prosecutor.

“I will request my daughters – don’t take life so easily. They should not befriend people easily on Facebook or other social media. There is a need to think seriously before marrying someone from a different religion,” he added.

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Appealing to the young female population to remain rooted in their culture and family values, the chief minister said that the triple murder case should be seen in the “larger context of sinister designs of certain elements”.

“In earlier days when people married under the Special Marriage Act in Assam, nobody would change their religions and both parties used to practise their beliefs. Nowadays, a precondition is applied in such a marriage that the religion has to be changed,” Sarma said.

“The triple murder case proves that the tale told in The Kerala Story is not false,” he said.

The controversial movie depicted how women from Kerala were converted to Islam and recruited by the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group.

CM appeals to all to prevent such incidents

Sarma said parents should acquaint daughters with their culture and should not encourage their sons in such acts.

“I appeal to all to keep a vigil that such incidents do not recur in our state,” he added.

Asked about the Assam DGP’s tweet sharing the marriage certificate of the couple, Sarma said it was issued by a Kaji and has no legal validity as it was not registered in any court.

“A Kazi can conduct a wedding when both the groom and the bride are Muslims,” he said.

Later, he tweeted that the Assam government stands firm in its commitment to make the society a zero-crime place with a resolve that “no criminal shall escape justice”.

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Meanwhile, Assam Director General of Police Gyanendra Pratap Singh said instructions shall be complied with regarding the investigation into the case.

“We would ensure foolproof chargesheet against the perpetrator/s and abettors. Lapses in the investigation of earlier cases, including the validity of the marriage certificate adduced in previous investigation, shall also be looked at,” he said.

The DGP tweeted that the two met on Facebook in June 2020, fled to Kolkata, and got married there on October 8. She gave birth to a boy in November 2022.

The accused was arrested in March this year on the charge of assaulting his 24-year-old wife earlier and after he was released, he came home and again started a quarrel and killed his wife and the parents-in-law. He then reached the Golaghat Police Station with his nine-month-old son and surrendered.

(With agency inputs)