Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Police apprehended an individual on Sunday, October 1, for attempting to convert Hindus to Christianity during a 'prayer meeting' in the Sathiaon block of Azamgarh district, Uttar Pradesh. The missionary had organized the event at the residence of a villager named Chhotelal Ram. The accused enticed innocent Hindu attendees with money and tried to convert them to Christianity under the guise of a 'prayer meeting.'
The incident came to light after members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal learned about the event and caught the accused in the act. Hindu organization members arrived at the scene to discover approximately 30-35 Hindu women gathered at Chhotelal Ram's residence on Sunday. The women were provided with copies of the Bible and given Rs 300 each.
The Bajrang Dal members also overheard the accused using abusive and derogatory language against Hindu deities. Subsequently, the Hindu organization members alerted the police and had the accused arrested. Gaurav Raghuvanshi, a member of the Bajrang Dal, expressed concern about the rising number of conversion cases in Uttar Pradesh. He stated that these missionaries target small villages, ensnare innocent Hindus, and tempt them to convert. In this case, the accused had placed Rs 300 in each Bible, and these books were offered to the villagers. Derogatory language was used against Hindu gods and goddesses, he added.
A similar incident occurred in Azamgarh last year. On August 1, 2022, the Azamgarh police in Uttar Pradesh dismantled a conversion racket, arresting six women attempting to convert vulnerable villagers to Christianity under the pretense of a birthday party. In November 2022, nine individuals were arrested by state police for attempting illegal conversions to Christianity under the guise of exorcism, uncovered by the Bajrang Dal. During a raid at the accused's premises, religious books and money were discovered. While 12 people were initially detained, only 9 were ultimately arrested. The accused in the recent case has been apprehended, and further investigations are underway.
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