A 29-year-old mother had filed a case in the High Court in Ipoh yesterday to stop her 34-year-old estranged husband, who recently converted to Islam, from converting their twin girls.

S. Krisnavani, who had moved to her parents’ home in Behrang last Sunday since learning of K. Magendra Rao’s conversion last Friday, is seeking an injunction against her husband and his representatives from converting 5-year-olds Sivadarsni and Sivarubini.

In her originating summons, Krisnavani, among others, is also seeking an order compelling the police to extend all forms of assistance and cooperation to her in ensuring the twins’ safety and interests against the possibility that they might be taken forcefully from her.

Krisnavani, who came to the court with her two daughters, claimed that Magendra, a farmer, had been acting strangely since early this year.

In her supporting affidavit, she claimed that her husband had frequently beaten and scolded her without any reason.

She also claimed that her husband had absented himself from their house for days without notice and had not been spending time with their children.

The couple registered their marriage and tied the knot according to Hindu religious rites on May 28, 2006. The family lived in Kampung Bagan Terap, Sungai Besar, Selangor.

Pending the full disposal of her originating summons, she filed an ex-parte application, together with a certificate of urgency, to obtain an interim order from the court to grant her custody, care and full control over the twins and to stop her husband from coming near them.

Speaking to reporters later, counsel A. Sivanesan said this was the first time in the country’s legal history that an aggrieved spouse had sought an injunction to stop the conversion of minors by the spouse who had converted to Islam.