'Kerala Story'? Influencer shares worrying post after marrying Muslim man
What's the story
Athulya Ashokan alias Alia, an influencer from Kerala who converted to Islam and married a Muslim man named Risal Mansoor earlier this year, has posted a worrisome message on her Instagram Story.
In the now-removed post, she reportedly tagged her husband and stated, "Whatever happens to me, no one in my family is responsible. Only him."
The social media influencer also removed or archived all photos with Mansoor, including the ones from her wedding, raising concern among some netizens.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Ashokan got married a few months ago amid the furor over the May 2023 film The Kerala Story, with which many have been relating her speculated story.
The film's trailer claimed the plot was about the mass proselytization of 32,000 women from other faiths into Islam and their eventual induction into the terrorist outfit ISIS.
Following severe backlash before the film's release over propagating unfounded claims, the makers changed the figures from 32,000 to "the true stories of three girls."
Details
Netizens urge Kerala Police to investigate
Screenshots of Ashokan's concerning Instagram Story were taken by some followers and shared across various social media platforms.
Users on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) captioned the post with, "The Kerala Story is real" and called on the Kerala Police to investigate the issue.
One user claimed Ashokan was "mocking" TKS and "showing off her Muslim boyfriend," while others highlighted that her wedding photos featured predominantly hijab-clad attendees.
Twitter Post
Users asked Kerala Police to look into the matter
She is Athulya Ashokan from Kerala.
— Sunanda Roy 👑 (@SaffronSunanda) November 21, 2023
She got converted to Islam & married to Risal Mansoor.
She was mocking "The Kerala Story" movie. She was showing off her Muslim boyfriend
Now she is uploading status on Instagram that "My life is under threat by him".
Kerala Police must… pic.twitter.com/FUYUztAsLH
Insights
What we know about Mansoor
In April end, Ashokan reportedly announced that she tied the knot with Mansoor.
Although specific information about him is scarce, his Instagram profile reportedly indicates that he is a mechanical engineer, soccer enthusiast, and transporter hailing from Perumbavoor in Kerala.
To note, the couple's wedding invitation read, "Welcome to our beginning... Risal Mansoor & Alia," suggesting she converted to Islam before they got married.
Details
Many term inter-faith marriage 'love jihad'
Per some followers, Ashokan's older photos showed her embracing Hindu motifs, such as applying a bindi and wearing a saree.
However, after her wedding, she was seen in hijab, with many users terming the inter-faith marriage as "love jihad."
"Love jihad" is a term used by right-wing groups to describe a purported concerted effort by Muslim men to convert Hindu women through marriage.