The Allahabad High Court has voiced worries about increasing religious extremism among young people in India, describing it as an alarming development. This observation occurred while reviewing petitions from two Muslim students, Aleena (also known as Aleena Parveen) and Shabiya, who sought to cancel a police report filed against them. The report accused the 12th-grade students of violating the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, by imposing their faith on a Hindu classmate.
Justices JJ Munir and Tarun Saxena, forming a two-judge panel, rejected the requests. They determined that initial evidence supported the case and chose not to halt the probe. The court remarked that such behavior among youth is particularly troubling, as this stage of life should focus on building educational abilities and contributing to community and national progress.
In its ruling on April 16, 2026, the court elaborated on the purpose of the 2021 Act, designed to counter the growing issue of individuals forcing their religious views on others. It emphasized that the law addresses not mere sharing or promotion of faith, but aggressive imposition based on the notion that others must adopt the same beliefs.
The judges stressed the Act’s importance in tackling coercion and compelled conversions, noting it responds to widespread reports of such incidents nationwide. They warned that interfering with the law’s early implementation could undermine its goals.
Case Details
The police report was submitted by the affected girl’s brother on January 22, 2026, at Bilari Police Station in Moradabad, citing Sections 3 and 5(1) of the 2021 Act. He claimed the accused, who attended the same tutoring center in Shahukunj Colony, Town Bilai, Moradabad, as his sister Kumari Mahima, compelled her to don a burqa and urged her to embrace Islam. He suggested a possible broader scheme and requested a thorough inquiry.
Aleena rejected the claims, asserting the report stemmed from retaliation after she declined a romantic advance from the complainant’s brother, whom she accused of following her and making an unwanted proposal.
In her account to a judicial magistrate under Section 183 of the BNSS, the affected girl described events from January 20, 2026. She said that following lessons, Aleena and four other Muslim acquaintances—Malishka, Shabiya, Rimsha, and Zehra—invited her to eat at a eatery. Before going, they insisted she wear a burqa Aleena had brought, forcing it on her despite her resistance.
She did not inform her mother, as instructed by Aleena. The group attempted to persuade her to convert by praising their faith, highlighting freedoms like traveling in a burqa, discussing the Quran’s readability in 40 days, and pressuring her to eat non-vegetarian items or at least the sauce when she declined. They repeatedly encouraged her to adopt Islam.
The court reviewed security camera footage from near the incident site, confirming the events. It noted Aleena had not filed any complaint against the brother despite her allegations. The judges upheld the girl’s statement to the magistrate as credible, indicating it sufficiently invoked the Act’s provisions.
