Amid Bajrang Dal protest, police arrest Pastor, 3 others over conversion claims

Three people, including a pastor and his son, were taken into custody in Uttar Pradesh’s Fatehpur after police said they were accused of carrying out religious conversion activities at a church.

Tension reportedly arose on Sunday when a group of Bajrang Dal members assembled outside the church and staged a protest. Police reached the spot soon after and said the situation was brought under control.

Vinod Kumar Maurya, the station house officer of Radha Nagar police station, said an FIR was registered based on a complaint from a person who claimed to have been inside the church in Deviganj at the time of the alleged conversion. According to Maurya, the case was filed against three named individuals and seven unidentified persons for their alleged involvement in conversion-related activities, Indian Express reported.

He said police teams were making efforts to locate the remaining accused, who were said to be absconding, and rejected allegations that any of the accused had been assaulted by members of the public.

Police said the case was registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections related to deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelings and criminal intimidation, along with provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad state vice-president Virendra Pandey said Bajrang Dal workers went to the church after receiving information about an alleged conversion attempt. He claimed that after verifying the information, they alerted the police. Pandey said police recorded the names and addresses of those present at the church and denied reports of any assault on the premises. Bajrang Dal is the youth wing of the VHP.

Police said they received information on Sunday afternoon about an argument outside the church, where members of a right-wing organisation had gathered. Officers told the crowd that the matter would be investigated and took three people found inside the church into custody for questioning.

The FIR was lodged following a complaint by local resident Devprakash Paswan. In his complaint, Paswan alleged that he and two others — Neeraj Paswan and Sushil Raidas — were invited to the church at around 10 am on Sunday, where prayers and hymns were taking place.

Paswan claimed that the accused promised money, household goods, employment and free education for children if people agreed to convert to Christianity. He alleged that when they objected, the accused offered them ₹1,100 to remain silent.

He further alleged that objectionable remarks were made about their deity, following which he informed people outside the church and a crowd of local residents gathered, along with the police. Paswan also claimed that when they tried to oppose the alleged conversion, they were threatened inside the church and warned of serious consequences if they did not comply.

In addition, Paswan alleged that the accused had earlier visited his village, Achgawa, in small groups and urged residents to attend church every Sunday, promising ₹1,100 for each person who was brought along.