In Rajasthan’s Kota district, a 23-year-old mute and deaf Hindu girl, Surabhi Mehta, was allegedly targeted by a group of Jehovah’s Witnesses for conversion to Christianity. According to her family, Surabhi was manipulated and taken from Indore to Delhi for the conversion. The family sought help from the Bhilwara police, who successfully rescued Surabhi and two other girls. The incident came to light after the family filed a complaint with the Inspector General (IG), prompting a police investigation. The victim reportedly made contact with members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses group in Jaipur, leading to the alleged attempt at conversion.
Surabhi Mehta’s family has accused members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses group of attempting to convert her to Christianity by exploiting her disability. They claim that the group told Surabhi that if she converted, she would be able to hear and speak in her next life. The family further alleges that such groups specifically target individuals with disabilities for conversion.
On November 19, 2024, Surabhi left for Indore without informing her family. When they inquired about her whereabouts, they discovered that she had gone to attend a conference organised by Jehovah’s Witnesses. The family alleges that the group had planned to take her to Delhi from Indore for further conversion efforts.
Surabhi’s family reported her missing to the police, prompting an investigation. The police later tracked her down on the Indore-Delhi Express at Bhilwara station, where they also rescued two other girls who were with her. After questioning, the police released the two girls.
Surabhi’s family claims that she has been so heavily influenced by the Jehovah’s Witnesses group that, despite their repeated efforts, she refuses to visit temples and continues to maintain contact with the group.
Bajrang Dal leader Yogesh Renewal stated, “Jehovah’s Witnesses contacted the girl through a friend and used online classes and sign language to draw her toward Christianity. Exploiting her deafness, they promised her the ability to speak in the next life and pressured her to convert.”
In October of the previous year, a blast at a Jehovah’s Witnesses convention led to several deaths and numerous injuries. Hours after the explosion, a former member of the group, Dominic Martin, surrendered to the police and took responsibility for the attack. He explained his motive, claiming that the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses were “anti-national and seditious.”
“Their teaching is not right. They are teaching anti-national things. I told them that they should change their ways. Staying in a…but cursing and addressing people in that country in the worst…derogatory form is they do. They are telling a 4-year-old child that if somebody from another community gives you candy, you shouldn’t have it. From an early age, they are feeding such poison into the child,” he said back then.
The rise of mass religious conversions across Uttar Pradesh has raised significant concerns regarding the methods employed by certain Christian groups and the involvement of vulnerable individuals in these activities. In Raebareli, Meerut, and Azamgarh, authorities have uncovered a disturbing trend of forced and fraudulent conversions under the guise of promises of miraculous cures, financial support, and material gains. While local police have acted swiftly in arresting the alleged perpetrators, including individuals like Rajesh Kumar in Raebareli and Pastor Bijju in Meerut, questions remain about the long-term impact of these conversions.
