2 nabbed in UP's Sharvasti for carrying out mass conversions; were 'trained' in Jalandhar

Shravasti (UP), Nov 11 (PTI) Two people were arrested for allegedly engaging in religious conversion in the district's Bhayapurwa village, located on the India-Nepal border, police said on Tuesday.

The two allegedly converted approximately 150 members of Hindu community to Christianity, they said. A hunt for two more, part of the same group, is on.

According to police, all four belonged to the same family and had been converting people for over five months after receiving training from a Christian missionary called RMS Church in Jalandhar, Punjab.

A police source said that on Sunday when a police team arrived at a gathering where the conversion was taking place, it was attacked by some people.

Superintendent of Police of Shravasti Rahul Bhati told reporters that around 150 people were present at a mass conversion event in Bhayapurwa village.

People were being offered jewellery, grains, and food items as blandishment to convert, he said.

A case has been registered against Kundan, a villager, Kundan's son Rajesh Kumar alias Gullu, his another son, Shakha and a family member, under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021 at Hardattnagar Girant Police Station.

On Sunday, Rajesh and Kundan were arrested from the village.

"Police have recovered 10 Bibles, two books pertaining to Christianity, 197 license cards, 198 registry identity cards, 484 baptism certificates, 21 bank passbooks and some incriminating substances from the spot," Bhati said.

"The recovered passbooks belong to those people who came to the prayer meeting and money was sent to their accounts as financial assistance for inducement. The financial link of these accounts is being traced," he added.

Those who pelted the police force with stones are being identified and will be brought to book, the SP said.

Hardattnagar Girant Police Station SHO Mahimanath Upadhyay said many members of the nomadic Mahaut community live in Bhayapurwa village and the four belong to the same community.

Initial investigation revealed that Kundan's sons, Rajesh and Shakha, lived in Jalandhar till about 4-5 months ago.

There, they came into contact with the RMS Church, converted to Christianity, and embarked on a conversion spree in Shravasti. PTI COR NAV VN VN