Meerut: UP police books 9 for conducting forced religious conversion during pandemic

Police in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, filed a FIR against nine individuals after receiving a report of a religious conversion. An investigation has been requested into the matter following the filing of the complaint. According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rohit Singh Sajwan, the Brahmapuri police station has been requested to look into a complaint alleging religious conversions.

On the basis of the initial investigation report from Friday, the police official claims that nine people, including three women, were charged with the offence. Several Mangatapuram Colony residents filed the complaint. The complainants claim that during COVID-19, some residents helped the local needy by giving them food and money.

The police claimed that the accused people allegedly pushed these individuals to become Christians afterward. In addition, the complaint states that the accused have been removing Hindu deities from Mangatapuram Colony residents' homes. The complaint reads, "On opposing or speaking about the occurrence to anyone, the accused come home with knives and sticks and threaten to kill".

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Although the number of conversions is not specified, a local BJP official named Deepak Sharma asserted that more than 100 residents of Mangatapuram Colony had supposedly converted to Christianity, PTI reported. "This has been going on for the past three years. During the COVID-19 period, the people were given rations and money to convert to Christianity. Now, other people are being threatened to convert as well," Sharma said.

According to Section 3, 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Unlawful Conversion Prohibition Act, Chhabili alias Shiva, Binwa, Anil, Sardar, Nikku, Basant, Prema, Titli, and Reena are the nine people identified in the FIR.

Earlier, another incident of unlawful religious conversion came into light in Rajasthan's Baran district. After hearing that some members of the community had reportedly converted to Buddhism, Minister Pratap Khachariyawas stated that the government would look into the allegations of violence on a Dalit family in a village.

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(With inputs from agencies)