Madrasa cleric, a Canadian citizen, who drugged and raped woman in Gujarat arrested

AHMEDABAD: A 52-year-old Canadian madrasa cleric has been arrested in Gujarats Ankleshwar for allegedly drugging, raping, and threatening a woman in the village over forceful conversion. The arrest came following the survivors complaint, prompting police to launch a wider probe. The crime in the AnkleshwarSurat fringe has jolted Gujarats law-and-order machinery. Every detail that surfaced dragged the investigation deeper, pushing the police to widen scrutiny beyond a single assault. The case began when the woman, introduced to cleric Azwad (52) through a mutual friend, found herself pulled into frequent calls and messages. The clerics persistent attempts, police say, were aimed at trapping her with promises of marriage and attempts that gradually tightened into a predatory scheme. On November 9, the accused allegedly summoned the victim to his room inside the madrasa. He offered her fragrant water, which, as per the complaint, knocked her down unconscious. Taking advantage of her incapacitated state, the cleric allegedly raped her twice. Horrifyingly, it was a calculated assault that marked the beginning of a darker series of threats. When the woman regained consciousness, police say the cleric dropped the faade and allegedly tried to coerce her into immediate religious conversion. He reportedly threatened to defame her and kill her children if she resisted. However, the survivor refused to bow down to the intimidation tactic. Undeterred by the threats, the woman approached the Panoli Police Station in Ankleswar and narrated the entire ordeal. Officers promptly registered an FIR and arrested the cleric. This revelation triggered a deeper probe into his background, movements, and possible past victims. Bharuch District Police Chief Akshay Raj Makwana, detailing the seriousness of the case, said: On 11-11-2025, the woman filed a complaint stating that cleric Ajwad Ahmed repeatedly called her, lured her with fabricated stories, forced her to drink tainted water, and raped her. She was then repeatedly pressured to convert. The cleric has been arrested. It has also been revealed that he is a citizen of Canada. Makwana further added, His 10-day police remand has been approved. We are investigating whether he targeted other women in a similar pattern. We are thoroughly examining his travel history -- the countries he visited, and the pattern he used to commit such acts. As the probe expands, Panoli police continue legal action on all fronts: sexual assault, intimidation, foreign citizenship scrutiny, and potential multi-victim targeting, ensuring that nothing is left unexamined.