Peshawar: Members of Sikh community protested for a second day in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Buner district against a Sikh woman’s alleged abduction, forceful conversion and marriage to a Muslim man.

“Dina Kumari (25) a government teacher went to duty and did not return,” Sanat Singh, a close relative of woman told adding that family had started a search for her but it was in vain. He said lady’s family members, along with other community members had gathered in front of Pir Baba Police Station in whose limits incident happened and demanded that police register a first information report of alleged incident, but police refused to do so. “When police showed reluctance to register an FIR, family staged a protest outside police station,” he said, adding that subsequently, police had assured them of recovering missing woman.

Sikh community again approached police who informed them that she was recovered and she had married her neighbour, a Muslim man in court. “She was engaged and her marriage was planned for next month,” Singh said, alleging that she was forcibly converted to Islam and married. Another Sikh community leader Radash Singh Tony claimed that woman was kidnapped, forcibly converted and married off but police were playing role of a “silent spectator”. He said that when community members met district police officer, he had assured them that Kumari would be handed over to family, but police misbehaved with family members and did not hand her over or register their report. Tony demanded government reunite Kumari to family.

Published in The Daily National Courier, August, 22 2022

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