After the controversial conversion of two Sikh girls in the Kashmir valley led to a widespread protest, another case of Grooming Jihad has been reported from Jammu. Nikita Saini, in an exclusive interview to JK Media’s Ashish Kolhi, revealed that she was tricked into religious conversion by her husband. Narrating her incident, Saini, a resident of Jalandhar, informed that she was trapped by her husband Arfin Shah and his family into marrying him when they got to know of her previously failed marriage. Shah and his family hails from Udhampur, Jammu & Kashmir.

Working as an HR in a Jalandhar hospital, Saini said that Arfin Shah was her classmate from school days and used to often converse with her over WhatsApp and social media. Shah approached her for his mother’s operation and that is when he got to know about Saini’s marital status.

Shah and his family then approached Saini telling her that they look for such women and get them married so they can lead a respectful life in society. Shah’s mother then pressured her into marrying her already married son saying they will take good care of her after marriage.

However, no conversation or condition for conversion was placed before Saini. As Saini agreed to marry Shah, she was taken to Uttar Pradesh to perform Nikah where her name was changed to Nafeeza from Nikita. On raising alarm, Saini was told that this is just a formality.

Saini narrated the incident in a letter to governor Manoj Sinha seeking justice.

Nikita Sainis Letter to Govenor Manoj Sinha. Image Source Ashish Kohli

The couple was then taken to Haridwar for a Hindu wedding. Troubles mounted for Saini when the duo returned to Udhampur. Shah’s mother made a ludicrous demand by asking Saini to marry her father-in-law. She allegedly claimed that because she was a cancer patient from 2007, she could not establish a physical relationship with her husband and asked Saini to compensate.

Saini left with her husband and shifted to a rented house. However, Saini alleges that it was just hogwash by her husband and soon after shifting Arfin Shah again started pressurizing her to marry his father as ‘it will stay in the family’.

When Saini opposed, the entire Shah family pressurized her into marrying her father-in-law by saying that the matter would stay within the four walls. They also promised her property and money in exchange.

When Saini refused to budge, the brothers made plans to sell her by deciding who will keep her in a predecided amount. Saini alleged that the family wanted to push her into prostitution.

Saini who is receiving no help from the police for over a month said she is facing death threats from the family. Shah family as informed by the victim owns a gun factory and runs an NGO in Udhampur by the name ‘Jiyo aur Jeene Do.’

When Saini threatened suicide, she was taken back to the family by the police by to resolve the matter amicably. However, Arfin Shah had gone missing by then and had switched off the phone. Shah’s family threatened Saini with dire consequences if anything happened to Afrin and said she would be held responsible. 

However, a few days later Afrin Shah’s first wife sent Saini videos claiming that Afrin was not missing and is rather holidaying with his family.

Saini, after receiving no help from the police has approached media to share her plight.

This comes shortly after two girls of the Sikh community had gone missing from the family. The girls were allegedly abducted and converted to Islam. One of the two missing girls was found and handed over to her family who then got her re-converted to her original faith.