Patna: A conversion racket was busted in Bayasi of Purnia district of Bihar after local Hindu activists caught one of the accused involved allegedly in promoting conversion activities in the area on July 12.
According to media reports, a conversion racket was being operated in the Mala Harinkol village under the jurisdiction of Bayasi police station limits of Purnia district.
Learning about conversion related activities, workers of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) arrived at Harinkol village on Saturday and caught Anil Rai alias Anil Dada red handed when he was participating in a gathering aimed allegedly at converting people.
Villagers alleged that Anil along with a few others was enticing the residents to convert to Christianity by offering them money. The activists caught Anil with the help of villagers on Saturday and handed him over to the police.
Report suggests that the said conversion gang was active in the village for the past three years and indulged in clandestinely converting people from poor economical background by offering monetary aide along showing Hindu deities in bad light.
पूर्णियाँ में धर्मांतरण मामले का आरोपी पादरी अनिल राय गिरफ्तार, 20 हजार का लालच देकर 10 से ज्यादा लोगों के धर्म बदलवाने का आरोप pic.twitter.com/AM9KQ0qtbO
— News18 Bihar (@News18Bihar) July 13, 2025
A gathering aimed at promoting conversion activities was organised in the village on Saturday as well when the activists arrived and caught Rai upon receiving information from the villagers.
Interacting with media, the VHP activists alleged “Conversion activities is being carried out openly here. Tents have been erected and around 50-100 women and men were being lured into conversion openly. There are two men involved in this, one is Umesh Ram and the other is Anil.”
“These activities were going on there for long. A team of VHP reached there and caught the accused red handed. It’s been learned that people from marginalised section, particularly women were being lured into conversion. The villagers were even lured with promise of ornaments as mentioned in the diary recovered from the spot,” said the activists.
Villagers alleged that the conversion agents were pressurising them to avoid worshiping as per the Hindu tradition, promising them money in return. “Conversion activities is being promoted here for the past three years by Anil. He lured people to convert, offering them money. He even disturbs individual at the time of worship,” said locals.
A written complaint against the accused Anil Rai has been filed by one of the woman resident of the village. The complainant has accused Rai for pressurising her to convert in lieu of Rs 20000.
The accused has been reportedly arrested by police and the case is being investigated further. The other accused Umesh Rai is reported to be absconding.
It must be noted that cases of similar nature are keep surfacing from separate corners with conversion agents targeting and luring people from weaker sections of the society into converting their religion by promising them money, jobs, free education, medical facilities and cure from illnesses.
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