KGMU asks staff to report similar allegations amid religious conversion controversy

Lucknow: Amid the ongoing ‘Love Jihad’ controversy involving a senior resident doctor, King George Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow, has asked its staff members to come forward with any similar complaints. The seven-member inquiry committee formed by the university has put up notices in hostels, faculty areas, and outside classrooms, inviting complainants to share information anonymously.

The committee was initially formed under the leadership of Dean (Paramedics) and senior surgery professor K K Singh. It was later expanded to seven members, including former Uttar Pradesh DGP Bhavesh Singh. The panel has been tasked with investigating allegations of religious conversion and the possible involvement of other faculty members or individuals on the university campus.

On Thursday, the committee appealed to faculty and staff to report if they are aware of any similar allegations against anyone associated with KGMU.

Also read- KGMU Harassment, Conversion Case: Parents of accused doctor arrested

Medical Dialogues had reported that the accused doctor, who has been suspended and booked over serious allegations of sexual exploitation, blackmail, and forcibly attempting to convert a colleague’s religion, has gone absconding. The accused doctor has been untraceable for many weeks, with his mobile phone reportedly switched off. Notices issued to him by the police have not been complied with so far.

Based on preliminary information, police suspect that the doctor may have fled to the neighbouring state of Uttarakhand. In this regard, Uttar Pradesh Police have contacted their counterparts in Uttarakhand to trace his possible movements.

The incident comes in the wake of the female doctor, who stated that she is a Hindu and alleged that her male colleague, who belongs to the Muslim community, emotionally exploited her and pressured her to convert to Islam to marry him. She claimed that after she refused, he continued to harass her, which pushed her into severe mental distress and led to her suicide attempt.

On December 27, she allegedly attempted suicide by consuming a large quantity of medicines inside her hostel room at KGMU. She was immediately rushed to the Trauma Centre and later shifted to the fifth floor of the Critical Care Management (CCM) ICU for advanced treatment.

Apart from her, another doctor who married the accused after they met while studying at the Agra Medical College also made similar allegations. She too claimed that the accused forcibly converted her religion and married her.

The police had announced a reward of Rs 25,000 for the arrest of the doctor, which was further increased to Rs 50,000 on Monday. On January 5, his parents were arrested too on charges of alleged forcible religious conversion. Authorities have begun the process of seizing the accused doctor's properties.

A senior KGMU official told the Indian Express, "KGMU is also set to recommend “termination of his services”, after its internal Vishakha Committee to check sexual harassment of women at workplace found him guilty of the charges levelled against him. He attended a hearing of the panel before he went “missing”. The committee has submitted its report to the Vice-Chancellor."

The official added, "The committee found him guilty on three fronts. First, he concealed his marriage while entering into a relationship with a fellow resident. Secondly, after she came to know of the previous marriage, he stalked her. Lastly, he has been found guilty of threatening the fellow resident that he would make their relationship, as well as some videos public."

Also read- Harassment, conversion case: KGMU panel begins probe, search for absconding doctor