UP Police Bust Major Conversion Racket Targeting Hindu Girls, ISIS-Style Radicalisation Network Uncovered

In a significant operation, the Uttar Pradesh Police, under “Operation Asmita,” have uncovered a large-scale conversion and radicalisation network based in Agra, leading to the arrest of several individuals, including key suspect Abdul Rehman Qureshi. The accused are believed to have orchestrated a widespread scheme aimed at converting Hindu girls to Islam through emotional manipulation, online radicalisation, and coercion.

The investigation began in March 2025 after two sisters from Agra—a 33-year-old PhD scholar and her 19-year-old sibling—went missing. The elder sister had earlier travelled to Kashmir in 2021, reportedly influenced by a woman named Saima who allegedly radicalised her. The girls were eventually traced to Kolkata, sparking a broader inquiry that revealed a deeper network of interstate operatives.

Police say the accused used fake identities, religious propaganda, encrypted messaging, and safe houses spread across Agra, Kolkata, Dehradun, Jaipur, Goa, and Muzaffarnagar. The syndicate also ran a covert online indoctrination campaign through platforms like “The Sunnah Channel,” designed to influence and convert young Hindu women. Authorities believe the network followed a model similar to Islamic State’s operational style.

The arrested mastermind, Abdul Rehman—himself a former Hindu who first converted to Christianity and then to Islam—was detained in Delhi. During his arrest, police rescued a missing minor from Haryana and recovered extremist literature. The operation, officials claim, has exposed links to possible funding from international sources, including the UAE, Canada, the UK, and the US, raising concerns about terror-related financing.

Authorities allege the group has converted or targeted over 1,500 women across multiple states. The UP Police have also involved the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) in the probe to uncover the full extent of the network.

The case has reignited political debate, with BJP leaders calling for a stringent nationwide anti-conversion law. Uttar Pradesh already enforces strict laws on unlawful conversions, and this incident is expected to intensify calls for national-level reforms to address such operations. Investigations are ongoing, with more arrests likely.