West Bengal: Accusing In-Laws Of Kidnapping Muslim Wife, Hindu NIT Professor Asks Hindutva Group And Police For Help

A Hindu assistant professor at National Institute of Technology (NIT), Durgapur, Soumik Das, has alleged that his in-laws have kidnapped his Muslim wife, Sahanara Khatun, and are forcing her to stay at their home, reports The Hindustan Times.

Khatun herself teaches at a women’s college in Dumdum. The couple had tied the knot under the Special Marriage Act on 23 July but Khatun’s parents were pressurising Das to either divorce her or convert to Islam, and he was unwilling to choose either of these options.

In a bid to free her, he has sought the aid of the police, as well as a Hindutva group called Singha Bahini.

The police have registered a complaint and was able to reach out to Khatoon.

“She is at her parent’s house. When we contacted her, she told us she would tell a court whatever she had to say,” said officer-in-charge of Durgapur police station, Goutam Talukdar.

Das has also approached the Singha Bahini because the group is known to have previously helped inter-faith couples in a similar situation.