When the police interrogated two real sisters who were missing from Agra in Uttar Pradesh after recovering them from a Muslim settlement in Kolkata, many shocking revelations related to an interstate religious conversion network came to light. The elder sister told the police that she would return home only when all those caught were released, because according to her “they work for religion and if they go to jail, they will not get heaven”.
How did the change start?
The 33-year-old elder sister told that she has done MSc Zoology and MPhil. In the year 2020, she used to go to coaching in Khandari area of Agra to prepare for NET, where she met Saima alias Khushboo, a resident of Udhampur (Jammu and Kashmir). Saima started influencing her by telling her about the teachings of Islam, the safety of wearing burqa, and the path to heaven.
Brainwashed by videos and online propaganda
Saima sent many religious videos to the elder sister, which explained the benefits of adopting Islam. During the lockdown, when it was difficult to leave the house, the family noticed that the daughter started praying namaz after hearing the azaan. Despite the mobile being snatched, she maintained contact with the younger sister’s phone and remained connected with people like Reet Banik alias Ibrahim.
Plan to run away from home
In March 2025, the elder sister planned to run away from home with her 19-year-old younger sister and both reached Kolkata. There they were hidden in a Muslim colony, from where the police recovered them in the presence of the family.
Police investigation and arrests
In this case, UP Police has arrested 10 people from six states, including Ali Hasan and Osama from Kolkata, Abu Talib from Muzaffarnagar, and Rehman Qureshi from Agra. Police say that this network is linked to ‘love jihad’, radicalism and foreign funding, whose style is similar to organizations like ISIS.