A mass conversion event in Miria Redha village of Kandharapur in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh was exposed by a police raid on October 20, following a complaint filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) District Vice President Harivansh Mishra. The operation, led by Kandharapur Station House Officer (SHO) Rudrbhan Pandey, resulted in the seizure of religious books and other objectionable materials from the scene.
Rajaram Yadav, the alleged orchestrator of the event, was taken into custody for questioning. Mishra’s complaint alleged that Hindus were being coerced into converting to Christianity, with claims that Yadav had forced individuals to replace images of Hindu deities with Christian symbols.
“This is a serious attack on the Hindu faith,” Mishra stated, urging action against Yadav. He further described the village as a hotspot for conversion activities, accusing Yadav of using manipulative tactics and false promises to lure Hindus into converting.
Superintendent of Police (SP) City, Shailendra Lal, confirmed the raid and the recovery of objectionable materials. “A case has been registered, and legal proceedings are underway,” Lal stated, adding that the investigation is ongoing.
#Azamgarh: थाना कंधरापुर क्षेत्रान्तर्गत धर्मान्तरण की सूचना पर एक व्यक्ति को पुलिस हिरासत में लिया गया है, के सम्बन्ध में #Spcityazh का आधिकारिक वक्तव्य।#UPPolice @adgzonevaranasi @digazamgarh @News18UP @112UttarPradesh pic.twitter.com/NjSnGq0xnF
— AZAMGARH POLICE (@azamgarhpolice) October 20, 2024
Local reports suggest that Christian prayer meetings were held regularly at the place, particularly on Sundays and Thursdays, targeting vulnerable villagers for conversion. This incident comes just weeks after a similar case in Kandharapur and Maharajganj, where three individuals were arrested for persuading people to convert to Christianity by promising miraculous cures during so-called healing sessions.
