In the Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh, the police have filed charges against 42 individuals and apprehended 9 individuals in connection with an illicit Christian conversion operation. Authorities announced on Friday (December 1) that they also confiscated laptops, Christian literature, and promotional materials from the arrested suspects. Additionally, reports indicate that 12 individuals are in police custody for further questioning.
The incident revolves around the Chopan Police Station, where the accused Christian converters were orchestrating ‘Changai Sabha’ (a gathering supposedly aimed at healing the sick through prayers led by a pastor) in the village. Their intent was to entice local tribals into converting to Christianity by promising healing for their ailments. Furthermore, the accused were allegedly offering money and goods to non-Christians as incentives to embrace the Christian faith.
On November 30, an FIR was registered under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act against 42 individuals, following a complaint filed by Narsingh Tripathi, a resident of Malahiya Tola. According to reports, the Bajrang Dal state coordinator had communicated to the police, providing information about the Christian missionary’s conversion scheme and attaching a list of the 42 involved individuals. Additional Superintendent of Police Kalu Singh disclosed that the police, acting on this information, conducted a raid during a Changai Sabha, exposing a conversion operation that exploited the guise of healing the illnesses of impoverished and desperate individuals. As a result, nine of the accused were taken into custody.
Additional SP Kalu Singh reported that the police seized various items, including audio tapes, compact discs, six mobile phones, three ATM cards, Aadhar cards, a Bible, and propaganda materials associated with Christianity. ASP Singh emphasised that legal proceedings have been initiated against the nine arrested individuals, who will be presented before the court.
The individuals taken into custody are recognised as Jaiprabhu, Ajay Kumar, Chekka Emmanuel, Rajendra Kol, Chhotu alias Ranjan, Parmanand, Sohan, Prem Nath Prajapati, and Ram Pratap.
