The Uttar Pradesh Police have busted a conversion racket that was operating through a gaming app for the past few years. The accused used to target teenagers to convert their religion.
A member of a mosque committee in Sanjay Nagar area in Ghaziabad has been arrested for his role in the religious conversion of at least four youth. The police have identified the arrested accused as Abdul Rehman, who is from Ballia.
Nipun Agarwal, deputy commissioner of police (DCP), Ghaziabad (city), said that one of the accused, Shahnawaz Khan, is the Imam of the mosque. Khan, who used 'Baddo' as his digital name, would spot children who were playing 'Fortnite', an online game.
The DCP said that the accused would remain in touch with these teenagers and would ask them to read verses of the Quran if they wanted to win matches. This led to them having faith in the accused and they subsequently converted to Islam. Khan used to show videos of hardline preachers Zakir Naik and Tariq Jameel.
The accused would remain in touch with these children using the Discord chatting platform,
The police have identified four minors — two from Ghaziabad and one each from Faridabad and Chandigarh — who converted through this modus operandi so far.
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During the investigation, it was revealed that the said chatting engine used to have other children from different parts of Europe, indicating that the modus operandi had an international connection. These children were initially Christians but were later converted to Islam.
The investigation has revealed that the chatting system had children from different parts of Europe as well. These children were Christians but were later converted to Islam.
The DCP said a team has been sent to Maharashtra to nab Shahnawaz Khan. Further investigation is underway.
As religious conversion cases see a rise in India, the Supreme Court this week said that forced religious conversion is a "very serious" issue.
The court stated that a "very difficult situation" will emerge if forced religious conversions are not stopped in the country.
