A doctoral student from Uttar Pradesh travelled more than 180 kilometres from Saharanpur to Delhi to erase her name as a "terrorist spot". Praveen Kumar, who left Saharanpur on July 27 and arrived in Delhi on August 1, claimed he was questioned - later cleared - by the Uttar Pradesh Counter-Terrorism Team (ATS) as part of one accused of massive conversion in June. His neighbours in the village of Shitala Khera did not let him hear the end. They vandalized his house and sent him hateful letters calling him a terrorist.
It all came to a point, Kumar told the media, where he decided to do something about it. Kumar is in Delhi asking the High Court for a public declaration of his innocence. He will file his request before the highest court on Friday, August 6.
“Kyunki maine yeh sab dekha aur mere saath yeh hua, isliye main 6 tareek ko yaachika dunga (Because of what I have seen and experienced, I will file a petition in court on the sixth),” he said.
The case in which Kumar's name emerged involved an alleged motive for mass conversion involving two banned Muslim clerics, according to a Times of India article. Kumar's photo and other information, listed against the name "Abdul Samad", was found among a list of 1,000 people who are believed to have converted to Islam.
The list, according to an Indian Express report, was seized from one of the main suspects, identified as Mohammad Umar Gautam.
The Quick Report quoted Prashant Kumar, Uttar Pradesh's additional director general for law and order, as saying that their interrogation of Praveen was a "routine procedure as his name was on the list being confirmed". Minh", after which he was "released".
Speaking to the media, Kumar, in his 30s, expressed deep concern about the emerging religious divisions in India. He says it's almost always fun to see how the brands addressed to him change depending on which side is aimed at him.
“During my travels, many things happened to me. As Praveen Kumar, I was considered a Hindu nationalist and, as Abdul Samad, I immediately became a "terrorist," he said.