On 26 May 2023, two men, one Muslim and one Hindu, were accused of trying to abduct a minor girl in Purola, a hill town in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district. Hindu groups called it "love jihad", marched through the town, and posters told Muslim traders to leave before a "mahapanchayat" on 15 June. Dozens of Muslim families left. The administration banned the gathering under Section 144, and in May 2024 a court acquitted both men after the girl said police had tutored her.
Key takeaways
- Hindu groups called the 26 May case "love jihad". The girl's uncle and Purola's station officer said it was not, and one of the two accused was Hindu.
- Posters told Muslim traders to leave before a 15 June mahapanchayat. It was refused permission, the Supreme Court sent petitioners to the High Court, and the High Court told the state to protect life and property.
- Both men got bail in July 2023 and were acquitted on 10 May 2024. Some families returned; others, by their own account, never did.
The 26 May case and the police account
Purola, about 140 km from Dehradun, had roughly 10,000 residents, 400 to 500 of them Muslim Al Jazeera. A few dozen Muslim families had moved there from western Uttar Pradesh to run businesses Scroll.
On 26 May the girl asked two men for directions. Police said the men took her to a petrol pump and called an auto-rickshaw. "Locals saw the girl being made to sit in the rickshaw and raised an alarm. The accused then fled from the spot," Purola station in-charge Khajan Singh Chauhan told the Hindustan Times Sabrang, citing HT.
A case was registered the same day under IPC sections 363 (kidnapping) and 366A (procuration of a minor girl) and the POCSO Act. Uvaid Khan, a furniture shop worker, and Jitendra Saini, a motorcycle mechanic, were arrested and sent to judicial custody in Tehri district jail Scroll. Outlets also spell Uvaid as Ubed or Ubaid.
The "love jihad" claim and what police said
Claim · Hindu groups VHP's Purola president Virendra Singh Rawat said Khan had trapped the girl in a love affair and promised marriage, with Saini's help, and called it "simple love jihad" Organiser.
The girl's uncle, the complainant, disagreed. "It was never a love jihad case, but a regular crime," he told the Hindustan Times Sabrang, citing HT.
Documented Station house officer Khajan Singh Chauhan told Newslaundry: "The incident was not related to 'love jihad'." He said a local journalist had pressed the uncle to use a ready-made "love jihad" complaint; the journalist denied it Newslaundry. An investigating officer told Scroll the investigation "did not find anything like that" and that neither man knew the girl, though he maintained they had tried to put her in a tempo and "wanted to take advantage of her" Scroll.
Marches, posters and shuttered shops
On 29 May about 1,000 people joined a rally in which Muslim shopkeepers' signboards were torn down and some shops ransacked Newslaundry. HT counted at least 30 Muslim-run shops attacked, and about 25 more in Barkot on 3 June Sabrang, citing HT.
Around 4 and 5 June, posters signed by the Devbhoomi Raksha Abhiyan appeared on Muslim-owned shops. They read: "Love Jihadis are informed to vacate their shops before the Mahapanchayat to be held on June 15, 2023" Newslaundry. The group's leader, Darshan Bharti, told Newslaundry he had not put them up Newslaundry. Claim · VHP Rawat alleged that "Muslims themselves put up those posters" Newslaundry.
Police registered a case on 5 June under IPC sections 153A and 506 Sabrang, citing HT. Cross marks appeared on some Muslim-owned shop doors in Barkot Al Jazeera. PTI reported over 40 Muslim-run shops still shut a fortnight after 26 May PTI via Deccan Herald.
Families who left: the figures
Counts differ widely:
- About a dozen families, Al Jazeera, 13 June Al Jazeera.
- 41 families by 14 June, 35 permanently and six temporarily, Newslaundry Newslaundry. Scroll later cited the same 41 but said six left permanently.
- Over 40 of 45 Muslim families among Purola's 8,000 residents, Hindustan Times Sabrang, citing HT.
Officials' position Additional DGP V Murugesan said "Nobody has left the town" Organiser. BJP spokesperson Dushyant Kumar Gautam called exodus reports "baseless" Al Jazeera. Those who left included Zahid Malik, the BJP's Uttarkashi minority cell president, who said he "did not get any help from the administration" Al Jazeera.
Timeline
Case registered
Two men are accused; both are arrested by 27 May.
First rally
Muslim-owned shops are vandalised.
Posters
Posters set a 15 June deadline.
Section 144, Supreme Court
Prohibitory orders imposed; organisers withdraw the call that night.
Order lifted
Section 144 lifted; about eight Muslim-run shops reopen under police guard PTI via Business Standard.
Returns
Police say over 20 families are back Sabrang, citing HT.
The mahapanchayat and Section 144
The VHP, Bajrang Dal and Devbhoomi Raksha Abhiyan called the mahapanchayat. On 14 June SDM Devanand Sharma imposed Section 144 until 19 June, saying there could be an attempt to disrupt peace PTI via Deccan Herald. District Magistrate Abhishek Rohilla said permission "has been denied" Maktoob.
Traders' body president Brij Mohan Chauhan said: "The mahapanchayat has only been put off." On 15 June marchers stopped at Mungra bridge sat on the road and gave speeches, but the day passed without incident PTI via Deccan Herald The Wire.
The Supreme Court and High Court hearings
On 14 June the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), through advocate Shahrukh Alam, asked the Supreme Court to stop the gathering. Justices Vikram Nath and Ahsanuddin Amanullah declined, and the plea was withdrawn with liberty to go elsewhere India Legal.
Maintaining law and order is the responsibility of the state government, why do you think no action will be taken if matter is brought to its notice. You should have faith in the high court.
Supreme Court vacation bench, 14 June 2023 (PTI via OneIndia)
Poet Ashok Vajpayee and academic Apoorvanand also wrote to both Chief Justices LiveLaw.
On 15 June the High Court bench of Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Rakesh Thapliyal was told the event had been called off. It declined to order FIRs, saying police should first examine the complaint and petitioners could approach a magistrate under Section 156(3) CrPC Sabrang. It sought the state's reply in three weeks and told parties to stay off TV debates and social media National Herald.
In the meantime, the State should ensure that proper assessment of the potential of any violence of any kind is made, before it permits the holding of any public meeting, or congregation of people in the State.
Uttarakhand High Court order, 15 June 2023 (The Wire)
Both accounts
Muslim residents' and civil-society account
Traders said they shut shops for lack of options and got no help from officials. Waqf Board chairman Shadab Shams, a BJP leader, asked the Chief Minister for "a firm assurance" of safety. Muslim Seva Sangathan's Naeem Qureshi said the CM "is the chief minister not only of the majority but also of the minorities" PTI via Madhyamam. AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi sought a ban on the mahapanchayat Madhyamam. A Muslim mahapanchayat set for 18 June in Dehradun was cancelled after the CM assured action, police said Organiser.
Government and organisers' account
Government's position On 9 June Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said "things like love jihad will not be tolerated" and ordered verification of outsiders Tribune. He later said no one would be allowed to disrupt law and order Swarajya, citing ToI and that "the administration has acted properly" Organiser. The traders' body denied forcing shops shut Al Jazeera; a Bajrang Dal leader later called for an economic boycott Sabrang, citing HT.
Bail, trial and acquittal
Judge Gurubaksh Singh granted both men bail in July 2023. Trial ran over 19 hearings from August 2023 to May 2024, and on 10 May 2024 the court acquitted them Scroll.
The girl testified that she had asked the men about a tailor's shop and that they "were not taking her anywhere". She said police had explained what she had to say before her magistrate statement. The sole eyewitness said the accused were not the men he saw. The court found no evidence of sexual intent and held the case "not proven beyond reasonable doubt" Scroll Bar and Bench.
Claim · Police The former station officer denied tutoring her: "What would the police get out of doing that?" Scroll. Special public prosecutor Poonam Singh said in July 2024 that the state had appealed to the High Court, according to Dehradun news site Doon Darshan Doon Darshan. No ruling on any appeal was found.
Aftermath and where things stand
In 2024 The Hindu found some families back, though one trader said Hindu customers rarely came; Khan's family had sold its shop for under 20% of its value The Wire, citing The Hindu. Zahid Malik told Scroll he never returned and his family had run up a debt of Rs 15 lakh Scroll. In January 2025 locals told The Quint only "a handful" of Muslim families remained The Quint.
A January 2026 APCR report placed Purola in a pattern of displacement of Muslims across Uttarakhand from 2021 to 2025 Sabrang. In June 2023 police had not filed an FIR over the ransacking of Muslim shops Sabrang, citing HT. No arrests over the posters or the vandalism were reported.
- Accused: Two arrested 26 to 27 May 2023, bailed July 2023, acquitted 10 May 2024.
- Mahapanchayat: Refused permission; Section 144 from 14 June, lifted 17 June.
- Displacement: Roughly 12 to 41 families left, by outlet; more than 20 back by 26 June, per police.
Questions people ask
Was the Purola case love jihad?
Hindu groups said so. The girl's uncle and Purola's station officer said it was not, and one accused was Hindu. In May 2024 a court acquitted both men.
Did the 15 June mahapanchayat happen?
No. Permission was refused, Section 144 was imposed and organisers withdrew the call on 14 June.
What did the Supreme Court say about Purola?
On 14 June 2023 a vacation bench declined to hear the APCR plea and told the petitioner to go to the High Court. The petition was withdrawn.
How many Muslim families left Purola?
Estimates ranged from about a dozen (Al Jazeera) to 41 (Newslaundry). Officials denied an exodus. Police said over 20 families had returned by 26 June 2023.
Were the accused convicted?
No. Both were acquitted on 10 May 2024 after the girl testified that police had tutored her.
Sources
- Al Jazeera: Why Muslims are fleeing a small town in India's Uttarakhand state, 13 June 2023
- Newslaundry: What led to the exodus of Muslims from Purola?, 14 June 2023
- Newslaundry: How the "love jihad" angle was manufactured, 17 June 2023
- Newslaundry: 41 Muslim families leave Purola, 17 June 2023
- Scroll: The many holes in Purola's "love jihad" plot, 19 June 2023
- Sabrang (citing Hindustan Times): Family of Purola minor denies religious motive, 20 June 2023
- Tribune: Dhami orders stern action in "love jihad" cases, 10 June 2023
- PTI via Madhyamam: Waqf Board raises concerns with Chief Minister, 12 June 2023
- Madhyamam: Owaisi demands ban on 15 June mahapanchayat, 12 June 2023
- PTI via Deccan Herald: Prohibitory orders ahead of mahapanchayat, 14 June 2023
- Maktoob: HC to hear petition, district says permission denied, 14 June 2023
- India Legal: Supreme Court rejects plea on mahapanchayat, 14 June 2023
- PTI via OneIndia: SC refuses to hear plea to stop mahapanchayat, 14 June 2023
- LiveLaw: CJI, High Court Chief Justice urged to stop mahapanchayat, June 2023
- Swarajya (citing ToI): Dhami on Purola, 14 June 2023
- PTI via Deccan Herald: Mahapanchayat called off, 15 June 2023
- Sabrang: Uttarakhand HC hearing, 15 June 2023
- National Herald: HC asks parties to refrain from flaring up issue, 15 June 2023
- The Wire: Police enforce denial of permission to mahapanchayat, 15 June 2023
- Organiser: Section 144 in place, no mahapanchayat held, 15 June 2023
- Organiser: Dehradun mahapanchayat called off, 16 June 2023
- PTI via Business Standard: Normalcy restored in Purola, 18 June 2023
- Sabrang (citing Hindustan Times): Muslim families return to Purola, 27 June 2023
- Scroll: In court, it turned out to be a hoax, 17 July 2024
- Bar and Bench (Hindi): Uttarakhand court acquits two, 20 July 2024
- Doon Darshan: Purola case appeal, July 2024
- The Wire: Muslim families return to Purola after case falls flat, 21 July 2024
- The Quint: How did a rumour lead to the exodus of Muslims in Purola?, 16 Jan 2025
- Sabrang: APCR report on communal violence in Uttarakhand, 23 Jan 2026