A 33-year-old woman from Karnataka has alleged that she was pressured to convert her religion and was later deceived by the man she had been in a relationship with in Chennai. The issue has now led to departmental action against a police inspector following an incident at a wedding function.
According to the complaint, the woman, Suganya, came to Chennai about 10 years ago and worked at a shop in a well-known commercial complex in Vadapalani. There she became acquainted with Syed Ibrahim (33) from Soolaimedu, who worked at another shop in the same complex, and the friendship later turned into a relationship.
She has stated that Syed Ibrahim insisted she convert from Hinduism to Islam for the marriage to take place. She later converted and changed her name to Saba Mariam, after which her parents stopped speaking to her, she said.
The woman further alleged that Syed Ibrahim began avoiding her and deceiving her, prompting her to file a complaint at Arumbakkam police station on May 6 and later submit another petition at the Chennai Police Commissioner’s office on May 15. She subsequently learned that he had married another woman.
She and her friends went to the wedding reception venue demanding justice and action against him. During the confrontation, Royapuram Inspector Chidambaram Bharathi allegedly used inappropriate language against a woman who supported Suganya and also punched a person who questioned him, triggering public outcry. Following the incident, the inspector has been transferred to the waiting list, which many described as appropriate action against police excesses.
