Following an expose by a Hindu woman, married to a Christian man, about the alleged torture and harassment inside the Siva Sakthi Yoga Centre in Kerala, the Kerala Women’s Commission has said that it would probe the Ernakulam centre.
The woman had alleged that the centre was functioning as a anti-conversion centre, forcing women married to men from other religions to abandon their husbands and 'return' to Hinduism.
The Yoga Centre in Tripunithura has been facing serious allegations including illegal detention.
Women's Commission chairperson MC Josephine said that the Commission was planning an investigation into the activities of Siva Sakthi Yoga Vidya Kendra, reports the Times of India.
The Commission had also asked the police to intensify the probe and diligently monitor the activities of the centre, Josephine said.
The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has also ordered a probe against the Centre. The Commission directed the probe while considering a petition filed by a woman, who is an IT professional based in Bengaluru.
Commission acting chairman P Mohandas directed the district police chief to conduct a thorough investigation into the case.
The report of the probe has to be submitted within a month. The woman, an Andhra Pradesh native was allegedly detained and tortured at the Yoga Centre as per the petition.
The woman was admitted to the Centre in March after she expressed her desire to marry a man outside her religion. The complaint said that she was locked up in a room and was beaten up when she tried to escape from the centre.
Sweta, 28 year-old woman from Thrissur district had also complained that she was tortured for 22 days at the yoga centre. She was also forced to abandon her husband who is a Christian.
She also alleged that there are several more people locked up in the anti-conversion centre.
Read Sweta’s story here.