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A horrifying case of sexual exploitation and blackmail targeting Hindu college girls came to light in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh last week. Several Muslim men have been arrested for allegedly trapping Hindu girls under false identities, sexually assaulting them, recording obscene videos, and coercing them into converting to Islam.
The case first came to official attention on April 18, when a young woman approached the Baghsewania police station with a disturbing complaint. According to her testimony, three MBA students — Farhan Khan, Sahil Khan, and Ali Khan — had befriended her and her friends under fake Hindu names. Once trust was gained, the accused allegedly sexually assaulted the women, filmed the incidents without consent, and used the videos to extort money and force religious conversion.
According to police reports and the local media outlet Dainik Bhaskar, Farhan Khan initially trapped a girl from his college and then pressured her to introduce her friends to his associates, Sahil and Ali. These men then allegedly lured the other girls to secluded locations, such as hotels of questionable repute and private residences, where they were reportedly drugged, shown pornographic material, and raped. The survivors also accused the men of threatening them with knives and forcibly administering marijuana before assaulting them.
As the case unfolded, the investigation revealed disturbing new layers. Not only were the three initially accused arrested (with Ali Khan still on the run), but the scope of the crime appeared to be much larger.
Among the identified victims are two sisters pursuing engineering degrees. They reported meeting Farhan Khan through a mutual friend. One sister said that Farhan took her to a house belonging to Hamid, where he raped her and recorded the incident. When she tried to resist, she was reportedly threatened, forced to eat non-vegetarian food against her will, and coerced into converting and marrying him.
The other sister said Farhan introduced her to Ali Khan. Ali allegedly raped her, filmed the act, and later circulated the video to Farhan, who used it to blackmail her. When she refused to comply with further demands, she was lured to a house where she claimed she was drugged and raped again.
In another chilling testimony, a victim from Indore recounted being raped multiple times by Farhan after he initially drugged, forced her to watch pornographic videos, and assaulted her at a hotel. She told police that Farhan beat her, threatened her with a knife, and demanded that she introduce her friends to his circle.
Out of fear that her videos would be leaked, the victim complied and introduced one of her friends to Sahil, a friend of Farhan’s. Sahil then allegedly raped the friend. In a similar incident, Ali reportedly assaulted another one of the victim’s friends at a hotel in Ashoka Garden and secretly recorded the act. The victim further accused Farhan of extorting money from her.
Another survivor named several additional suspects, including Shahrukh, Ayana, and Zoya. She accused Shahrukh of raping her and coercing her to bring her minor friend into the fold. The minor was then raped by Ayan, who also filmed the assault. The videos were later used to blackmail the victims further. Shahrukh then forced the victim to meet Arbaaz, who raped her as well.
Abrar and Nabeel, juniors of Farhan in the same college, have also emerged as central players. According to police, they used their rooms as setups for assaults, with hidden cameras installed in advance. Under the guise of parties or study sessions, they would invite the girls and ply them with marijuana and loud music before sexually exploiting them. Farhan frequently brought victims to these gatherings.
The police have arrested multiple suspects, including Mohammad Saad, Arbaaz, Ayan, Shahrukh, Javed alias Bhaiyyu, Nabeel, Zoya, and Faizan. Several others, including Abrar Khan, are absconding. It is deeply concerning that the rape syndicate not only involved Muslim men, but also included women from the same community. This involvement is particularly troubling, given the widely held belief that women, by nature, would empathize with the trauma and suffering endured by other women who are victims of sexual violence. The participation of these women raises serious questions about how Islamic biases override basic human empathy and moral judgment. Authorities have identified two such girls who acted as intermediaries for Muslim men in facilitating friendships with Hindu girls.
According to media reports, one of the girls has been employed at a cosmetics store. She would encourage Hindu girls who went to the shop to attend Sahil’s dance class. She specifically targeted economically disadvantaged Hindu girls and urged them to engage in sexual relations with Sahil in exchange for waiving the class fees. These girls have also forced Hindu victims to wear burqas, participate in Islamic fasting (Roza), and exert pressure to marry Muslim men and convert to Islam. The police are conducting an inquiry to uncover further details.
The investigation has further revealed a disturbing ideological angle. Farhan believed to be the ringleader, allegedly confessed to the police that he formed this gang with the express purpose of targeting Hindu girls. He reportedly told investigators that he saw this as a form of “jihad,” and was proud of his actions as what he did was considered a virtuous act, an act of sabab, in Islam. Shockingly, police found evidence suggesting Farhan was attempting to sell the victims’ videos to pornographic websites as part of a planned revenge against one girl who had begun ignoring him.
Police also recovered messages and threats from the accused’s mobile phones and identified more victims through the media files found. Investigators suspect there may be many more victims, who are yet to come forward due to fear and trauma.
On April 30, Farhan Khan was produced before a local court via video conferencing. Meanwhile, manhunts are underway to apprehend the remaining suspects. Abrar’s last known location was traced to Murshidabad, though he is originally from Bihar. The incident has sent shockwaves through the state, raising grave concerns about the safety of Hindu women and young girls and highlighting the need for stronger surveillance of jihadist elements.