The Ghaziabad Police arrested two individuals — Pastor Vinod Kunjumon and local resident Premchand Jatav for allegedly attempting to convert members of the Scheduled Caste (SC) community through inducements of cash and gifts. The arrests followed a complaint lodged by a self-proclaimed Bajrang Dal activist, but residents of the area have dismissed the accusations, claiming that the duo merely conducted routine Sunday prayer meetings.
The police, acting on a complaint filed by one Prabal Gupta at the Crossings Republik police station, apprehended Kunjumon and Jatav under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita as well as the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021. Pastor Kunjumon is originally from Kerala and currently resides in Sahibabad, while Jatav, a milkman by profession, is a long-time resident of Rahul Vihar.
Gupta, who claims to be affiliated with the Bajrang Dal, alleged that Premchand Jatav had embraced Christianity years ago and, with Pastor Vinod’s support, had been actively converting others in his locality by luring them with financial inducements and material aid. “This was not a simple prayer meet. It was a systematic attempt to change people’s faith,” Gupta claimed. “When we tried to question their activities, some of our members were even assaulted,” he alleged.
Based on his complaint, an FIR was filed under Sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 351(3) (death threats), and 352 (breach of peace) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with provisions of the 2021 anti-conversion law specific to Uttar Pradesh.
However, the narrative painted by Gupta is sharply contradicted by residents of Rahul Vihar. According to multiple neighbours, the house in question — a single-storey residence owned by Jatav for over three decades — was only used for weekly prayer gatherings attended by people from nearby areas, including Buddh Vihar.
“It is not true that he was converting anyone,” said Satish Anand, a 54-year-old local who runs a nearby eatery. “These were just peaceful Sunday prayers. People came, prayed, and left. No one was ever asked to change their faith.”
Another resident added, “Three years ago, he (Jatav) installed a signboard, and people started calling it a church. But it was just a prayer hall inside his home.” The house, which was locked when The media visited on June 16, bore signs of vandalism, with the gates visibly damaged. It is unclear whether this was the result of mob action or official police entry.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Wave City, Priyashri Pal, maintained that the case is under active investigation and no conclusions have been drawn yet. “We have registered a case based on the complaint and relevant laws. The investigation will look into the veracity of all claims, including whether inducements were actually made or if the prayer meetings were misinterpreted as conversion activity,” said Pal.
Station House Officer Preeti Garg confirmed the arrests and added that further legal action would depend on the evidence gathered. This case comes at a time when the subject of religious conversions remains a politically and socially charged issue in India, particularly in states like Uttar Pradesh that have enacted stringent laws to prohibit conversions by force, inducement, or deceit.
