Nagpur: A Christian priest, his wife, and 12 others were arrested late on December 30 in Nagpur district, Maharashtra, over allegations of forced religious conversion. The arrests occurred during a Christmas prayer meeting and have sparked protests and strong political reactions, particularly from Kerala.
The priest, identified as Father Sudhir, is affiliated with the Church of South India (CSI) Kerala Diocese’s Nagpur Mission. His wife, Jasmine, was also taken into custody. The police action followed a complaint by Bajrang Dal activists, leading to a case being registered at the Benoda police station in Amravati district.
According to reports, the group was detained around 8 pm while the prayer meeting was ongoing. Father Sudhir, his wife, and those present were formally arrested at the police station. Later, 12 additional people who had visited the station to inquire about the arrests were also taken into custody.
All those arrested are currently held at the Benoda police station and are expected to be produced before a court soon. Church representatives seeking bail at the station were reportedly advised to approach the court instead, and they also claimed they were not given a copy of the FIR.
Father Sudhir, originally from Amaravila in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, has been serving in Maharashtra for the past five years. Of the 14 arrested, ten are Maharashtra residents. The incident has provoked widespread protests, with numerous Christian organisations condemning the police action.
