Raipur: Chhattisgarh police on August 10 booked three people including a woman for allegedly luring people into changing their religion. The trio was detained and booked after locals along with Hindu activists submitted written complaint against them for carrying out illegal conversion related activities from a private premise at Kukur Beda colony.
According to reports, a Prarthana Sabha [prayer ceremony] aimed allegedly at luring people into changing their religion was organized at a private premise at Kukur Beda colony under the jurisdiction of Saraswati Nagar police station on Sunday.
The said gathering was being attended by 30-35 people who were reportedly being lured into embracing Christianity through means of inducement.
Learning about the event, locals along with Hindu activists reached the premises and staged a strong protest against the ongoing religious program.
Locals alleged that people invited on name of Prarthana Sabha in the premises are being lured into conversion. They further have accused the organisers of the event for making objectionable remarks against the Hindu deities along operating an illegal church in the locality.
Learning about the incident, a police team then reached the spot and detained three people. An FIR into the matter was lodged by the police subsequently after receiving complaints by locals. The matter is being probed further by the officials.
It must be noted that similar incidents had also surfaced from separate localities of the capital city lately.
Police on July 31 detained five people from Murra Bhatti of Gudiyari area following reports on conversion related activities. A similar case of luring people into conversion had also come to light from Utkal Basti of WRS colony in the last week of July, sparking protest by locals and Hindu activists.
Meanwhile in another case reported from Bilaspur district, a government school teacher Arundhati Sahu was also booked by police for promoting conversion related activities on July 20.
Sahu a resident of Geetanjali city phase 2 was booked after one of her neighbour filed a written complaint with the police alleging her for promoting illegal conversion during a Prarthana Sabha at Sahu’s place in Geetanjali city phase 2 of Sarkanda area in Bilaspur.
Significantly, cases of conversion via organising religious events such as Prarthana or Changai Sabha are keep coming to fore from separate localities of the state, sparking protests by local Hindus. Growing number of such incidents and subsequent protest from the locals have also prompted response from the state government lately who has hinted about introducing a stringent law against conversion in the state soon.
