‘Love jihad’ behind Assam triple murder, says CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

'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.

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday claimed the recent triple murder in Golaghat was an outcome of ‘love-jihad’, and said the chargesheet will 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 of Upper Assam.

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‘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.

Sarma visited the family of the deceased and asserted that a thorough investigation would be carried out in the case, and the guilty would not be spared.

“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 escaped 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.

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 CM 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.

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.

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”.

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 validity of the marriage certificate adduced in previous investigation, shall also be looked at,” he said.

According to the police, the accused was in jail for assaulting his 24-year-old wife earlier and after he was released, he came home and again started a quarrel.

He then killed his wife and the parents-in-law. After committing the crime, the accused reached the Golaghat Police Station with his nine-month-old son and surrendered.