The Nilgiris district police have warned of stern action against “miscreants” who were spreading “false news” that a woman who was murdered by her husband and her in-laws was a victim of “love jihad,” - a conspiracy theory spread by right-wing elements to target members from the minority Muslim community.
The victim of the crime, Ashika Parveen, 22, was found dead on June 23, 2024. She was married to J. Imran Khan, 30, when she died, with Imran’s family informing Ashika Parveen’s parents that she suffered a seizure, from which she died later in the hospital.
“On August 20, the chemical analysis report was received and it stated that the cause of death was cyanide poisoning. Based on the report, the deceased’s [sic] husband and mother-in-law were questioned and they confessed that they poisoned her with cyanide,” the Nilgiris district police said on Monday (September 2, 2024) evening.
While police initially suspected that the reason for the murder was due to Imran and his mother demanding dowry from Ashika Parveen, they have come to learn that Imran Khan’s mother, identified as J. Yazmin, 47, was having an affair with a resident of Main Bazaar in Udhagamandalam, identified as N. Khaleef, 56.
Police suspect that Yazmin, along with her two sons, Imran Khan, J. Mukthagir and Yazmin’s lover, Khaleef, conspired together to murder Ashika Parveen to prevent her from revealing Yazmin’s affair to others. The four have since been arrested, charged with murder and remanded to judicial custody.
“It is learnt that some miscreants are spreading false news that the deceased Ashika Parveen is a Hindu by religion and by “love jihad,” she was converted... It is clarified that the deceased Ashika Parveen is a Muslim by birth and the murder was due to a family issue. Severe legal action would be taken against those who spread false news,” the Nilgiris district police said in a statement.
