Woman alleges rape, extortion, black magic rituals and forced conversion in Nagpur; Two held

A 24-year-old woman whose husband is serving in the armed forces has accused three men of raping her, extorting money through blackmail and forcing her to undergo religious conversion in Maharashtra’s Nagpur. Police have arrested two of the accused, while a search is underway to trace the third suspect.

The arrested men have been identified as Ayyaz Taj Madare and Ameen Shaikh. The third accused, Hazrat Maulana, a resident of Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district, has been named in the First Information Report (FIR) and remains absconding.

According to police, the complainant alleged that Madare, a former school acquaintance, reconnected with her under the pretext of helping her resolve a property-related issue. She claimed that during a meeting at a hotel in February 2025, she was allegedly given an intoxicating substance, after which explicit photographs and videos were recorded without her consent.

The woman alleged that the accused later used the material to threaten her, warning that the videos and photographs would be circulated publicly and shared with her husband if she failed to comply with their demands. Her husband is currently posted outside Nagpur as part of his service in the armed forces.

Police said the complainant has alleged that the accused extorted nearly Rs 4 lakh from her over a period of time through repeated threats and intimidation.

In another serious allegation, the woman claimed that she was made to participate in rituals involving the consumption of an unidentified liquid and other practices purportedly linked to occult activities before being sexually assaulted. Based on these claims, investigators have invoked provisions of Maharashtra’s anti-superstition and anti-black magic law, in addition to charges related to rape, extortion and criminal intimidation.

The FIR further states that on May 31, the woman was allegedly taken to Kalmeshwar, where a religious conversion ceremony was conducted against her will. She alleged that she was forced to participate in the ritual and was subsequently declared converted and married to the main accused without her consent.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1) Rushikesh Reddy confirmed that a case had been registered based on the woman’s complaint.

“A 24-year-old woman lodged a complaint at Sonegaon Police Station alleging rape, blackmail, extortion and forced religious conversion. Based on her complaint, an offence has been registered, and two accused have been arrested. Further investigation is underway,” Reddy said.

Police said the woman approached authorities after informing her husband about the alleged incidents. Efforts are continuing to apprehend the absconding accused, and further investigation into the case is underway.

With ANI inputs

Published: 16 Jun 2026, 05:57 pm IST

Disclaimer: Kindly avoid objectionable, derogatory, unlawful and lewd comments, while responding to reports. Such comments are punishable under cyber laws. Please keep away from personal attacks. The opinions expressed here are the personal opinions of readers and not that of Mathrubhumi.