Gujrat / Man attempts suicide after accusing 5 persons of brainwashing his wife and children to convert religion

Gujrat | A man from Gujarat's Banaskantha district tried to commit suicide by consuming poison. The reason for the suicide attempt was that his wife and two children had converted to Islam and moved away from him, due to which he remained depressed. Police have registered a case against Sohail Shaikh and four other members of his family for allegedly abetment of suicide by allegedly 'brainwashing' Haresh Solanki's wife and their children to convert to Islam.

An official of Palanpur (East) police station said that two accused in the case were arrested on Monday. Solanki, a resident of Malgarh village in Deesa taluka of Banaskantha, allegedly tried to commit suicide by consuming poison. Police said he is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Palanpur city and his condition is stated to be critical. According to the FIR lodged at Palanpur (East) police station on Sunday evening, in a note recovered from Solanki, he has written that Sheikh's family members are responsible for his mental state, which compelled him to take the step.

'Brainwashed' converted to religion

Solanki's brother Rajesh had lodged a complaint with the police. In the complaint, Rajesh had alleged that the accused 'brainwashed' Solanki's family members to convert them to Islam. Solanki's daughter had initially come in contact with Ejaz Sheikh in her college. When her family members opposed her friendship, she insisted on staying with him. According to the complaint, later his mother and brother also supported him and all three of them started offering namaz at home. When some members of their joint family objected to this, Solanki's wife, daughter and son left the house and started living separately with the support of the Sheikh family. However, he could not be traced later.

Case registered under these sections

The complaint alleged that when Solanki spoke to Sheikh's family and tried to trace his wife and children, they demanded Rs 25 lakh. Based on the complaint, a case has been registered against five members of the Sheikh family under sections 306 (abetment to suicide), 384 (extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, the police official said.