PATNA: As many as three pastors have been detained by the police after they were found to be promoting conversion related activities in Buxar district of Bihar on Thursday, November 14. The incident pertains to Badkagaon Nagarpura area under Simri police station limits where the detained individuals were indulged in carrying out conversion activities.
According to the reports, the trio were part of the program aimed at converting a section of local residents who have been allegedly lured into conversion through inducement and various other benefits.
The incident came to light after a few of the locals witnessed an unusual gathering (50-60) of people near the Ganga Ghat on Thursday, raising suspicion. Upon observing they learned that one of the pastors was marking a cross symbol on the forehead of people participating in the program.
The locals then informed the police about the conversion program following which a police team detained three individuals by arriving on the spot. The detained pastors have been identified as Samuel, Raju Masih and Raviranjan Ram. A written complaint pertaining to the incident has been reportedly submitted by a few local activist and the matter is being investigated by the police.
According to the details, one of the pastor Samuel, a resident of Tamilnadu was heading the program in which the participants were first asked to take a dip in the river amid Christian prayers after which a cross sign was marked symbolically on their forehead as part of the Baptism rituals.
A video pertaining to the incident has also gone viral on the internet in which the said pastor can be seen marking a cross sign on the forehead of the participants with his fingers. In case of married women, the sign was marked after wiping out the vermilion, a sacred symbol wore by Hindu women. Samuel was reportedly invited for the program by the local pastors.
बक्सर में सामूहिक धर्मांतरण का खेल जारी, सुहागिन महिलाओं की मांग से सिन्दूर धोते और गंगा में डूबकी लगवाते पादरी का वीडियो वायरल#Buxar #Bihar #BiharNews pic.twitter.com/ukY7C3vfbr
— FirstBiharJharkhand (@firstbiharnews) November 14, 2024
One of the locals who informed the police about the incident said, that conversion activities are being carried out in the area for long leading to protest on a number of occasions, however despite attempts to curb it the same has been continued.
Today few women were being converted at Nagarpura Ghat of Simri after being mislead by few people after which we have informed the authorities, he added. Meanwhile the women who were part of the gathering have said that they had arrived at the program for treatment purpose only.
It’s been further reported that the detained people are associated with a Tamilnadu based trust namely “Hope for India Trust”. Around 70 people of the area are reported to be associated with the group.
Notably, this is not the first time that such an incident has come to the light in the area and a similar incident was also reported a couple of years ago where one of the pastor detained by the police on Thursday, Raju Masih was involved.
