Speaking at the national convention of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath unraveled a harrowing tale of a covert conversion racket that preyed on society’s most vulnerable—deaf and mute children. Three months ago, the courts sentenced a Maulvi and seven others to life imprisonment for their involvement in a meticulously planned operation spanning years, one that manipulated children and endangered the lives of spiritual leaders.
The Maulvi’s operation was far from isolated. According to CM Yogi, the network was deeply embedded in Batla House, Delhi, an area that has previously been under scrutiny for radical activities. The investigation revealed that the racket used smartphones to target children with disabilities, training them to adhere to a strict code while disconnecting them from their families.
CM Yogi narrated a particularly unsettling incident involving a deaf and mute child. During the COVID-19 lockdown, the child returned home and began behaving strangely. “He avoided food during the day and only ate at 4 a.m., raising his mother’s suspicion. When she observed him in secret, she discovered him offering Namaaz,” he explained.
The child’s behavior led his parents to seek answers, which eventually brought to light the involvement of the Batla House institute. The institute had been indoctrinating deaf and mute children, teaching them religious rituals and communication in coded messages via smartphones. “This racket had entrapped over 500 families, luring children under the guise of religious education,” CM Yogi said, describing it as a highly organiSed and sinister scheme.
The CM also recounted an alarming incident that occurred between 2019 and 2020. Two young men disguised as Hindus entered a temple in Uttar Pradesh to meet a saint. They carried surgical blades, a weapon chosen for its lethality in close quarters. Initially, the police dismissed their intentions as harmless after a routine interrogation, but CM Yogi insisted on a deeper probe.
“The police told me they had only normal blades, but I emphasised that these youths were on a dangerous mission,” CM Yogi said. Upon further questioning, the youths admitted their intent to assassinate the saint. Tracing their contacts led investigators back to Batla House, where a broader conspiracy unfolded.
CM Yogi expressed his concerns about Batla House, recalling its dark history. In 2008, the area was the site of a deadly encounter in which a Delhi Police Inspector was martyred while fighting terrorists. This prior incident heightened the sensitivity of the investigation, prompting the police to uncover the full extent of the Maulvi’s network.
It was revealed that the family of one of the would-be attackers had converted to Islam three generations ago, and the young men were radicalised over time. The case exposed how the syndicate leveraged familial and social ties to carry out their agenda, posing an immense threat to communal harmony.
Three months ago, the judiciary sentenced the Maulvi and seven accomplices to life imprisonment, a decision that CM Yogi described as a victory for justice. “The punishment was not because he was a Maulvi, but because of the heinous crimes he committed against the innocent,” CM Yogi emphasised.
He also highlighted how the syndicate exploited technology to manipulate children, particularly those with disabilities. By providing them with smartphones, the institute ensured constant communication and control over the children, isolating them from their families.
CM Yogi urged citizens and authorities to remain vigilant against such conspiracies. He called for a united front to protect vulnerable sections of society and safeguard the nation’s spiritual and social fabric. “This case is a stark reminder of how deeply entrenched these operations can be and why we must remain ever-watchful,” he said.
