UP: Pregnant woman being ‘forced’ to convert dies, 2 held

Shahjahanpur: Police here have arrested two men for the death of a pregnant woman who they say was “trapped” in a love affair and the accused were putting pressure on her to convert to Islam.

Seema Gautam (24) died at a hospital in Lakhimpur Kheri where she was brought by the accused — Naved and Farhan. Her brother has alleged that she was poisoned.

Superintendent of Police S Anand told PTI that Gautam, a resident of Lakhimpur Kheri, was in a live-in relationship with Naved and the couple was staying at a rented accommodation owned by Mustaquim in Roza area of the district.

At around 1 pm on Saturday, she was brought to the hospital by Naved and Farhan. The duo told hospital authorities that the woman was Zoya Siddiqui, wife of Naved, during the admission, police said.

When the doctors declared her dead, they fled before police arrived.

Following interrogation, police said the couple was living together for the last one-and-a-half years and the woman was pregnant. The accused were exerting pressure on her to change her religion, they said.

Based on the complaint lodged by the brother of the deceased, a case was registered against Naved, Mustaquim and Farhan under sections of the Indian Penal Code, Schedule Caste/Schedule Tribe Act and Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act.

Police said Naved and Farhan are in jail while Mustaquim is absconding.