Mirzapur, Jan 22 (IANS) Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Mirzapur district have arrested five people, including a gym owner, in connection with an alleged forced religious conversion, sexual exploitation and extortion case. The arrests follow complaints filed by two young women who accused the suspects of luring them under the pretext of friendship and fitness training and then subjecting them to coercion and abuse.

On Thursday, one of the accused, identified as Farid, was involved in a police encounter in the Kharanja Fall area under the Dehat Kotwali police station limits. According to the police, Farid opened fire after spotting the police team that had moved to arrest him. In the exchange of fire that followed, Farid sustained a bullet injury to his leg. He was subsequently arrested and taken to a trauma centre for medical treatment. Police said four other accused in the case had already been arrested and sent to jail earlier.

The case is linked to a KGN gym operating in the Sadar Tehsil Colony area of Mirzapur, where the two complainants alleged that a group of individuals was running a racket involving religious conversion, blackmail and extortion under the guise of fitness centres. Acting on the complaints, the police on Wednesday registered cases under serious sections of the law and sealed four gyms operating in both rural and city police station areas of the district.

According to police officials, the accused allegedly befriended women who visited the gym, gradually gained their trust and then pressured them to convert to another religion. The victims further alleged that they were sexually exploited and later extorted, with threats used to silence them. Following a preliminary investigation, police arrested four persons, including a gym owner, and sealed the gyms to preserve evidence.

The Dehat Kotwali police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against seven named accused, including gym owners and trainers, on charges of sexual exploitation, extortion and forced religious conversion of women who attended the gym. The investigation revealed that the alleged racket had been operating in the Sadar Tehsil Colony area, reportedly without attracting attention for a considerable period.

Providing details of the arrests, police said that two separate written complaints were submitted by the victims, prompting swift action. Under the leadership of the Sadar area officer, four special teams were constituted, including personnel from the Special Operations Group (SOG), Katra police station, city police and Rural police units. On January 20, the teams arrested Mohammad Sheikh Ali, a resident of Natwa, Millat Nagar, under the Katra police station limits, and Faizal Khan, a resident of Gosai Talab near a mosque, under the city police station area of Mirzapur district.

Based on mobile phones, digital data and other evidence recovered during interrogation, two more accused, identified as Zahir and Sadab, were taken into custody. During the investigation, it was revealed that Zahir is the owner of the KGN-01 gym and was also associated with KGN-02, KGN-03 and Iron Fire gyms. The victimised women were reported to be regular visitors to the KGN gym. On the basis of the evidence collected, police sealed all the gyms to prevent tampering and preserve material evidence.

The Additional Superintendent of Police (City), Nitesh Kumar Singh, said the complaints received at the Dehat Kotwali police station were being taken very seriously.

“Two different young women have alleged sexual exploitation, extortion and forced religious conversion. Four accused have been arrested so far, and one more has been apprehended after an encounter. A thorough investigation is underway, and strict legal action will be taken against all those found involved,” the officer said.

Meanwhile, the owner of the house in Sadar Tehsil Colony, where one of the gyms was operating, told the police that he did not know about any illegal activities being carried out on the premises. He stated that the house had been rented to a person named Imran for the purpose of running a gym.

The matter has also drawn political attention, with the local MLA urging the police to take strict and exemplary action against those involved. Public anger has been reported in the Sadar Tehsil area over the seriousness of the allegations. Residents have demanded stringent punishment for the accused, with some calling for strong measures, including the use of a bulldozer, against those found guilty.

Police officials have reiterated that the investigation is ongoing and that further arrests cannot be ruled out as evidence continues to be examined.

–IANS

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