Moradabad Minor's Burqa Incident: Family Voices Opposition to Friendship Amid Police Probe
In a developing case from Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad district, a minor girl was allegedly pressured to wear a burqa by her friends, leading to a police investigation and widespread controversy. The incident, captured on CCTV footage in December 2025, has brought to light family concerns and conflicting narratives from the involved parties.
Family's Stance: Longstanding Opposition to Friendship
The family of the minor girl has expressed that they were against her friendship with the accused girls from the very beginning. Speaking to The Indian Express, her brother, who operates a mobile phone shop, revealed that the family had been worried about her well-being even before the video surfaced. He mentioned that the girls, all Class 12 students attending the same school and coaching centre, had previously encouraged her to eat non-vegetarian food and go on outings, which the family disapproved of.
"We were always against the friendship," he stated, adding that since the video went viral, his sister has stopped attending tuition classes and has been complaining of headaches and mental distress, allegedly due to being influenced by the group. He urged the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.
CCTV Footage and Allegations
The video, recorded on a CCTV camera installed outside a house in Bilari tehsil, shows the minor girl wearing a red shirt and black jeans laughing as other girls hand her a burqa. One of the girls is heard saying she would look good wearing it. The footage, which surfaced on social media last week, has led to an FIR being registered against five girl students under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act on January 22.
In her statement to the police, the minor alleged that the group encouraged her to wear the burqa while returning home from tuition, with one girl repeatedly saying, "Woh bol rahi thi pehen le, pehen le, acchi lagegi" (They asked me to wear it, saying it would look good on me). She claimed the incident occurred in a lane behind their coaching centre and that she was friends with one of the girls who carried the burqa.
Accused Families Claim Misunderstanding
Families of the accused girls have come forward to assert that there was a misunderstanding surrounding the incident. The uncle of one of the accused girls explained that the burqa was provided to help the minor avoid being seen by her family while going out for snacks, as her brother's shop was on the way and he would not allow her to go out after coaching. "The girls thought covering her would help her avoid trouble at home," he said, emphasizing that there was no intention to pressure her or interfere with her religious beliefs.
Another accused girl's father, a former village pradhan, defended his daughter, stating that she was unfairly targeted for merely being present in the footage. "She did not force anyone to do anything. We respect all religions. Burqa is just a type of clothing for us. There was no religious agenda behind it," he clarified.
Police Investigation and Statements
Police officials, including investigating officer Ashok Kumar, confirmed that the matter is under investigation, with no arrests made so far. Kumar noted that all the accused girls, except one, are minors, and the video dates back to December 20, 2025. "We do not know why the girls carried an extra burqa with them," he added.
Moradabad Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kunwar Akash Singh stated that the police are examining all versions carefully. "Preliminary inquiry indicates that the girls knew each other. The incident occurred while they were returning home from tuition. We are investigating the allegations in detail," he said.
Community Reactions and Aftermath
Rajeev Chaudhary, who installed the CCTV camera, reported that residents in the area flagged the matter to him after some women said a girl was being made to wear a burqa. He checked the footage and shared it with the police, though he does not know how it later went viral.
Following the registration of the case, one of the accused girls stopped attending school and was sent to her maternal grandmother's home to protect her from public attention. Families of the accused met with local leaders, agreeing that the girls were friends and that this was an error in judgment.
The minor girl further alleged in her police statement that during an outing to a cafe, the girls brought food themselves and mixed something in her food, leading her to feel brainwashed. She also claimed they spoke highly of Islam and suggested she should convert, adding layers to the ongoing investigation.
