'Religious Conversion, Molestation' Under Guise Of Gym Training Shocks Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur, 5 Arrested

New Delhi: Authorities in Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur uncovered an alleged illegal religious conversion racket operating through local fitness centers with police arresting five individuals and sealing five gyms across the district as part of an ongoing investigation into multiple reported cases.

In the first specific case, Mirzapur police arrested four men, Mohammad Sheikh Ali Alam, Faizal Khan, Zaheer, and Saadab, following complaints from two women. The victims alleged that they were lured into gym training, where they were subsequently subjected to sexual exploitation, blackmail, and intense pressure to change their religion.

All four individuals were presented before a court and subsequently remanded to judicial custody. Meanwhile, the police have launched a search operation to track down additional suspects associated with the broader network.

What the FIR said

According to the First Information Report (FIR), one of the victims alleged that gym trainer Sheikh Ali initiated a friendship during their workouts to gain her trust. The complaint further states that once she was trapped in the relationship, he molested her and secretly recorded compromising photos and videos, which he then used as leverage to extort money.

The FIR further details that the financial exploitation escalated as the accused allegedly made continuous monetary demands and used the threat of blackmail to take out loans in the victim's name without her genuine consent.

The victim's testimony details a pattern of intense religious coercion and life-threatening intimidation where she alleged that after being trapped by the blackmail, she was forced to adopt specific religious practices and threatened with death or public shaming if she refused to convert.

The victim further informed the police that she was not an isolated target; she alleged that the group operated as an organized gang that had systematically victimized several other young women using the same deceptive tactics.

Police officially registered a criminal case

In response to these allegations, the Mirzapur Police officially registered a criminal case and moved to shut down the infrastructure supporting the racket. They have sealed five fitness centers across the district, specifically identifying KGN Gym and B-Fit Gym as primary locations allegedly used as fronts for these illegal activities.

In a separate, high-intensity operation, Mirzapur police arrested a gym owner named Farid Ahmad following a gunfight in the Barkachha (Khadanjafall) area. Farid, who authorities believe is a central figure in the racket, was injured in the leg during the exchange of  fire and is currently in police custody.

Authorities in Mirzapur have warned that the investigation is expanding, and more arrests are anticipated. Police believe they have uncovered a growing, systemic pattern of exploitation where fitness centers were being used specifically as fronts to identify and target vulnerable women.

Also Read: 'Big Force Moving Towards Iran': President Trump Issues Stern Warning To Tehran Over Hanging Protesters Amid Unrest