It wasn’t lengthy earlier than what started as an informal on-line sport of Ludo escalated into love, after which cross-border crime involving a solid id – a filmy story that sadly culminated in tears for the couple when intelligence businesses acquired wind of them.
In January 2023, the Bengaluru Metropolis police arrested Mulayam Singh Yadav, 24, and his spouse Riya Yadav alias Iqra Jeewani, 19, following a shock raid at their home close to Sarjapur street in Bengaluru. The couple, who had been residing there for a while, was very pleasant with neighbours. Nobody was, nonetheless, conscious that the affable Riya they knew was a Pakistani nationwide.
Ludo and love
All of it started in 2019, when Iqra, a scholar from Hyderabad in Pakistan, usually performed on-line Ludo to unwind. One random match launched her to Mulayam, a local of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh who had studied solely until Class 12 and labored as a safety guard in Bengaluru. From informal chats, their conversations led to a deep emotional connection, and the digital friendship noticed love blossom.
Iqra, a scholar from Hyderabad in Pakistan, usually performed on-line Ludo to unwind. (Categorical Photograph)
The couple quickly determined to dwell collectively and have been able to danger the whole lot to make that occur. In September 2022, Mulayam hatched a plan to convey Iqra to India illegally and provides her a brand new id so they might dwell collectively for the remainder of their lives.
Utilizing all his financial savings and borrowing cash from associates, he made Iqra journey from Pakistan to Dubai after which Nepal, the place Iqra took on a brand new id as Riya Yadav. Within the shadow of the Himalayas, they married beneath Hindu rituals. He introduced her throughout the border by bus and launched her to his household and neighbours as Riya. She blended in simply, and the Urdu accent in her Hindi by some means went unnoticed.
Beginning anew in Bengaluru
The household celebrated the marriage of their hometown and Mulayam took her to Bengaluru to keep away from any suspicion. In Bengaluru, the couple rented a modest house close to the Ayyappa Temple in Junnasandra, Sarjapur Highway. Mulayam resumed his job whereas Iqra managed the family. Neighbours described them as a quiet, loving pair. “They by no means fought. You wouldn’t suspect something unusual,” a neighbour informed The Indian Categorical earlier. Even the owner, Gopal Reddy, had no clue — the lease was by an company.
Mulayam organized for a pretend Aadhaar card. In it, her identify learn “Riya Yadav” in English. In Kannada, nonetheless, a mistranslation led it to say “Rava Yadav”, however that too went unnoticed.
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A cellphone name amid G20 summit preparations
The 2 have been doing nicely and Riya was proud of Mulayam. A police officer who was a part of the investigation mentioned Riya didn’t name her mother and father for a while. However as time handed, she felt the necessity to get in contact with them. Over WhatsApp, she made a name to her household, introducing Mulayam as ‘Sameer’, a Muslim man she had married. Her happiness was, nonetheless, short-lived.
That single act caught the attention of Indian intelligence officers and proved to be her undoing. Sadly for the couple, safety businesses have been on excessive alert on the time because the G20 Summit and Aero India 2023 have been approaching, and additional consideration was being paid to Bengaluru since it’s a metropolitan metropolis which attracts international consideration, an officer mentioned.
The decision got here beneath suspicion, and authorities started to trace Riya and Mulayam’s numbers. Riya’s calls led them to find that she was a Pakistani nationwide residing illegally in India beneath a false id. Intelligence businesses handed the knowledge to the Bengaluru Metropolis police.
Within the third week of January, Bellandur police stormed their house. Riya and Mulayam have been arrested and her actual identify got here to mild. S Girish, then deputy commissioner of police, Whitefield, introduced the arrests of Iqra, Mulayam and Gopal, the owner.
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The town police shared info with the Ministry of Exterior Affairs. A police officer mentioned, “Intelligence officers got here all the way down to Bengaluru and even checked her cell phone and different particulars to see if she was a spy from Pakistan. After thorough verification, it grew to become clear that it was only a love story.
Not realising that she was being deported
Mulayam spent just a few days in police custody earlier than he was despatched to Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in Bengaluru. After confirming Iqra’s whereabouts in Pakistan, intelligence businesses came upon that her household initially filed a lacking criticism however withdrew it later.
After holding diplomatic talks, it was determined to drop the case in opposition to Iqra which might permit her to be deported from India. Iqra had been spending her days at a authorities shelter the place her solely request was to speak to her husband.
In February 2023, Iqra was deported to Pakistan however she was unaware of it until the final minute. The girl police officer who handed over her custody on the border recollects that the second Iqra acquired to know that she was being separated from Yadav, she cried inconsolably, begging them to not ship her to Pakistan.
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“She didn’t wish to return. After we began our journey from Bengaluru, we didn’t inform her in regards to the deportation however mentioned she was being taken for investigation and to get the passport and different paperwork. It was solely after she noticed Pakistan officers that she broke down and begged us to permit her discuss to Shammu (Mulayam). We have been in an enormous dilemma. We needed to comply with the legislation and hand her over to our counterparts in Pakistan,” the officer recounted.
Earlier than Iqra left, she handed on the contact numbers of her relations and requested them to offer it to Mulayam. “She mentioned she would await him ceaselessly and requested us to tell him to name as soon as he comes out of jail,” a police officer added.
Current standing
Iqra’s household in Pakistan didn’t reply to calls. There was no replace about her because the deportation.
In the meantime, Mulayam and Gopal have been charged within the case. Mulayam was accused of making false and solid paperwork. Each have since been launched on bail and the case is within the trial stage.