LUCKNOW: Hardoi police have registered a case against three persons, including a pastor, on allegations of conducting illegal religious conversion activities in Mohammadapur village under the Tadiyawan police station area on Monday.
Two of the accused have been arrested, while efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining suspect, police said.
Station house officer (SHO), Tadiyawan, Ikhtiyar Hussain said police have arrested Ram Pravesh and Ram Singh in connection with the case. Raids are being conducted to locate and arrest pastor Satyapal and any other persons found involved.
According to the complaint, the alleged incident came to light when Alkesh Singh, a resident of Panihaiyya village, received information about a prayer gathering being held at the residence of Rajesh Pal in Mohammadapur village.
The complainant alleged that the gathering was being used as a platform to persuade members of the Hindu community, particularly economically weaker men and women, to convert to Christianity.
Police said the FIR names Pastor Satyapal, a resident of Rasoolpur in Pihani area, along with Ram Singh, a resident of Sitapur district, and Ram Pravesh, a resident of Maliha village, as accused in the case.
According to the complaint, the three men had assembled a group of villagers at the house and were allegedly conducting a prayer meeting. The complainant alleged that the accused were holding religious books, lighting candles and attempting to influence attendees through religious discourse.
The FIR further alleges that the accused used objectionable remarks against Hindu deities and sought to persuade villagers to embrace Christianity.
Upon receiving information about the gathering, Alkesh Singh, accompanied by Ashutosh, Lavkush, Shubham and Rajneesh, reached the spot and attempted to record videos of the proceedings.
The complainant alleged that the accused objected to the recording and subsequently abused the group and threatened them with serious consequences, including threats to life.
The allegations have been incorporated into the police case and are being examined as part of the investigation.
Locals told police that a larger network may be operating in the area and allegedly targeting vulnerable people through videos and religious content shown on mobile phones. Villagers claimed that such material was being used to influence people and encourage them to change their faith.
Police officials said these claims are also being verified during the investigation.
Given the seriousness of the allegations, Tadiyawan police registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) as well as the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act.
Officials said the accused have been booked for allegedly attempting religious conversion through inducement, misrepresentation and organized activities without lawful authorization. Additional provisions relating to criminal intimidation and other offences have also been invoked.
"The matter is being investigated thoroughly. Legal action has been initiated under the relevant provisions of the law, and further arrests may be made based on evidence collected during the probe," SHO added.
Police said further investigation is underway to determine the extent of the alleged activities and whether similar gatherings had been conducted elsewhere in the district. The allegations remain under investigation, and the charges will be tested through the legal process.
When not covering crime, he reads fiction, roams around the dark ...
Read MoreWhen not covering crime, he reads fiction, roams around the dark alleys of the city in the dead of night. An MA (English Litt) from University of Lucknow, Pathikrit loves to speak French, well at least a smattering of it. He did his graduation in French language. A recipient of the Road Safety Fellowship of the United Nations, Pathikrit drives cautiously and advises others to do that too.
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