SUFIYAN, the man accused of pushing to death a 19-year-old woman, was arrested on Friday in a police encounter here during which he was shot in the leg, a senior police official said.

Meanwhile, family members and relatives of the deceased have demanded capital punishment for Sufiyan, and that action be also initiated against his family members. The woman was allegedly pushed to death from the fourth floor of a building on Tuesday night by her neighbour who was trying to befriend her and force her to convert.

“Sufiyan was arrested on Friday in a police encounter in the Dubagga area of Lucknow,” Joint Commissioner of Police (JCP) Piyush Mordia told PTI. Dubagga Station House Officer (SHO) Sukhvir Singh Bhadauriya told PTI, “Sufiyan was arrested in an encounter at around 1 pm. He suffered a bullet injury on his right foot. He has been admitted to the King George’s Medical University (KGMU).”

He also informed that a reward of Rs 25,000 was announced for the information leading to Sufiyan’s arrest.

Later, speaking to reporters, the victim’s mother said, “We are relieved following his (Sufiyan’s) arrest. He should be given capital punishment, and stringent laws should be made so that such incidents do not take place. Overall, we are satisfied with the police action.”

She also said that since Sufiyan’s family is also involved (in the crime committed by him), action should be initiated against them as well. “They were always exerting pressure to go for ‘nikaah’ (marriage),” she said.

The deceased’s sister also demanded that action be initiated against the family members of Sufiyan.

The family members of deceased have alleged that the accused Sufiyan, who is in his early 20s, was forcing her to convert to Islam. An FIR under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code along with sections of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act (or the so-called love jihad law) has been registered against the man.