A case that has stirred unease in the Rawatpur police station area of Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, has come to light after a 19-year-old woman accused a woman from a Muslim family known to her and a young man of forcing her into a burqa and photographing her, then pressuring her to change her religion and assaulting her when she pushed back. The woman also alleges she was repeatedly threatened that the photos and videos would be spread on social media if she did not comply. Acting on her complaint, police have taken the accused man into custody and opened an investigation into the case.
A Bond Built in Childhood, Through a Shared Neighbourhood
According to the woman, her grandmother's house stood right next to the Rawatpur home of a woman identified as Ruby Khan. Having spent much of her childhood at her grandmother's place, she developed regular contact with Ruby's family over the years and came to call her "mami," a term for a maternal aunt. She says that roughly two years ago, a young man named Taufiq, who was studying at the Jama Masjid, started visiting Ruby's house to teach her children Arabic. It was through these visits that she got to know him, and over time trust grew between the three of them. They would occasionally step out together for tea, and the woman says nothing about the relationship struck her as suspicious at the time.
Dressed in a Burqa at Home, Then Pushed Toward the Mosque
The woman alleges that on one occasion, Ruby Khan called her over to her house, dressed her in a burqa and photographed her on a mobile phone. A few days later, Ruby reportedly took her out again on the pretext of having tea, only this time Taufiq was already waiting there. She claims Taufiq told her that she should start wearing a burqa regularly, spend time at the mosque, offer namaz, and eventually convert to Islam. She refused outright, insisting she would not give up her religion under any circumstance. She says the atmosphere turned hostile the moment she refused, and both the accused allegedly assaulted her.
Fear of a Viral Video Kept Her Trapped
Following her refusal to convert, the woman says she was repeatedly warned that the burqa photograph and any video would be circulated on social media unless she gave in. She alleges the harassment followed her onto the street as well, with continued intimidation and threats even outside the house. The constant fear from these alleged threats and the assault eventually made it difficult for her to even step outdoors. She had been pursuing a BBA degree at a college in the Rawatpur area, but the fear pushed her to stop attending altogether in November 2025, interrupting her education midway. Matters got bad enough that she moved out of her grandmother's house to live with her parents instead, though she claims the pressure and threats continued even after that move.
A Written Complaint Filed on September 2
After enduring months of alleged harassment, the woman finally gathered the courage to go to the Rawatpur police station on September 2 and filed a written complaint laying out the entire ordeal. She alleges that her account was not taken seriously at first and that questions were instead directed at her own conduct. She further claims that while she was filing the complaint, people linked to the accused arrived outside the station and allegedly warned her of consequences for pursuing the matter. Despite this, she refused to back down and stood by her complaint, which eventually pushed police to act on the case.
DCP Confirms Accused Was Detained on Her Complaint
Acting on the written complaint, police finally took the accused man, Taufiq, into custody. DCP Qasim Abdi confirmed the detention, stating that the accused was taken into custody after the woman's complaint and that all the allegations against him were being closely examined. He added that any further legal action would depend strictly on the facts and evidence that emerge from the investigation, meaning the case currently remains under scrutiny.
Victim Demands a Fair Probe as Allegations Remain Unverified
The woman has appealed to the police to carry out a fair investigation and ensure safety for her and her family; her father is employed as a security guard. It bears noting that her allegations have not yet been independently verified. Only once the police investigation is complete will it become clear how much of the alleged sequence of events holds up and what legal action, if any, follows.
