THE PRAYAGRAJ police have arrested a 19-year-old Muslim woman for allegedly luring a minor Dalit girl from her neighbourhood and taking her to Kerala, where she was reportedly forced to undergo religious conversion. Police said the accused also put pressure on the victim to take part in “jihad training”.Last week, the minor girl managed to escape from the location she was being held at and contacted the Kerala Police, who then informed their counterparts in Prayagraj and her family, police said.The victim has been brought back to Prayagraj and in accordance with the directions of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), was sent to a government shelter in Prayagraj, said a police officer.Apart from the prime accused, Darkasha Bano, the police have also arrested her 20-year-old associate, Mohammad Kaif, who allegedly took the victim to a railway station from where Darkasha and the victim boarded a train to Kerala. Kaif is also accused of molesting the girl on the way to the railway station on a motorcycle, said police.“All angles are being investigated and three police teams have been formed to arrest the remaining accused,” said the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Prayagraj, Kuldeep Singh Gunawat.He added that, prima facie, Darkasha Bano appears to be associated with an organised group that targets economically weak and Dalit girls, lures and brainwashes them, coerces them to convert and pushes them into “anti-national activities.”The police are searching for another aide of Darkasha’s, Mohammad Taj, who is believed to be hiding in Kerala and is suspected to be an active member of the group. It is suspected that Darkasha was in frequent touch with Taj while on the wayto Kerala.Story continues below this adAccording to the police, a local woman filed a complaint last week alleging that on May 8, a woman from her neighbourhood – Darkasha Bano – lured her 15-year-old daughter with money and false promises and took her to Kerala for religious conversion.She also claimed to have received a threatening phone call telling her not to approachthe police.The police visited the victim’s house, contacted the family and deployed a team to ensure their security.DCP Gunawat said that during the investigation, it was revealed that on May 8, Darkasha Bano took the victim from her home for the purpose of religious conversion by luring her with false promises. She was assisted by Mohammad Kaif.Story continues below this adDarkasha then took the victim to the Phoolpur flyover, where Mohammad Kaif was already waiting. He took them to Prayagraj railway station on his motorcycle.On the way, he also molested the victim, said the police officer.He added, the duo boarded a train to Delhi, and from there, they travelled to Thrissur in Kerala.The DCP said the girl’s mother alleged that in Kerala, Darkasha introduced her daughter to unidentified and suspicious persons who first lured her with money and then forcibly converted her religion.Story continues below this adAfterwards, they began putting pressure on her to undergo jihadi training, which left her deeply frightened. They also asked her to “stay there for jihad”, he added.The victim managed to escape from the location where she had been confined by the accused and reached Thrissur railway station, where she was spotted by a Kerala Police team, which then informed her family in Prayagraj. She was kept in the custody of the Child Welfare Committee, Kerala.Upon receiving the information, the victim’s family approached the Prayagraj police and, with their assistance, brought her back to Prayagraj.On June 28, based on the mother’s complaint, the Prayagraj police registered an FIR against Darkasha Bano, Mohammad Taj, Mohammad Kaif and others at the police station concerned.Story continues below this adThe FIR has been registered on several charges, including kidnapping, criminal conspiracy, criminal intimidation and other relevant sections. Additionally, the police have invoked provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the accused.