Four held in Kannauj for allegedly running religious conversion racket

Kannauj (UP), Aug 27 (PTI) Four people accused of attempting to convert individuals to Christianity by offering inducements and threatening them were arrested in Kannauj district on Wednesday, police said.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Vinod Kumar said the accused were wanted in connection with an FIR registered under Section 3/5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act and Section 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The case was filed on August 26 on the complaint of Sabina Nagar, a resident of Gandhi Nagar locality under Gursahaiganj police station, who alleged that the accused tried to convert her from Hinduism to Christianity by offering inducements and threatening her. When she refused, they allegedly misbehaved with her and issued threats, Kumar said.

"Acting on the complaint, Gursahaiganj police arrested Dharmendra (29), a resident of Mishripur in Kannauj district; Gowda Prasad (47) of Rajahmundry, East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh; Mamta Devi (35) of Ismailpur in Kannauj; and Manju (42) of Gopalpur in Gorakhpur district. A Bible was found in their possession," Kumar said.

During interrogation, the accused admitted that they targeted people from the Scheduled Caste communities, luring them with promises of money, safety of their children, and assurances of a problem-free life to persuade them to convert.

They also allegedly threatened those who refused to change their religion, police claimed. PTI COR KIS RT RT