Lucknow: UP Police assaulted a Muslim couple inside a police station in Uttar Pradesh alleging 'love jihad'. The police interrupted the wedding ceremony and the couple was detained in the station in the wake of an anonymous call alleging that a Hindu bride had been forcibly converted to Islam.
The 39-year old groom Hyder Ali revealed that on Tuesday he was severely beaten with a leather belt by the police and was assaulted for hours inside the locked up Kashya Police station.
The following day, the bride's brother arrived at the station whereupon it was revealed that the bride and groom were both known members of the local Muslim community. The wedding was re-conducted after the couple were released.
The S.H.O of Kashya Police Station, Sanjay Kumar has criticised the rumour-mongering and stated that when the couple was later found to be adults from the same religion, they were sent off. However, S.P Vinod Kumar has denied Hyder Ali's statement of assault.
The police's interference and restraining mixed marriages had also recently created controversies surrounding the UP Government's recent law against practices of forced conversion and love jihad.