UP police arrest Kerala pastor under anti-conversion law
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Photo: Maktoob
A pastor from Kerala has been taken into custody in Uttar Pradesh on allegations of unlawful religious conversion after a complaint by members of the Bajrang Dal, police officials indicated.
The police said the pastor, Jose Thomas, originally from Thiruvananthapuram and currently based in Patna, Bihar, had travelled to Ballia district, where he was reportedly addressing a gathering of women and children when he was detained.
Officials have alleged that he was engaged in religious activities linked to conversion through inducements, including assurances of employment and financial support.
During the operation, the police claimed to have seized religious books, along with musical instruments and microphones, from his possession. A case has been registered under provisions dealing with alleged unlawful religious conversion, and investigators have said they would scrutinise his bank accounts to trace possible sources of funding, Maktoob Media reported.
The arrest comes amid a spate of similar cases involving Christian clergy in different parts of the country. In a recent instance, police in Ghatampur near Kanpur detained Pastor Albin from Vattapara in Thiruvananthapuram following a complaint by local Bajrang Dal functionaries. His family members were briefly held and later released, and he was granted bail about a week later.
In another case in Maharashtra, police arrested priest Sudheer of the CSI Church Nagpur Mission along with his wife, relatives and friends during a Christmas prayer meeting in a Nagpur district village after complaints by Bajrang Dal activists alleging conversion-related activities. A local court later granted bail to Sudheer, his wife and several others arrested in the case.
These recent detentions have once again brought the spotlight on the enforcement of anti-conversion laws in multiple states. Critics have argued that such laws are being misused, while authorities have maintained that action is taken based on complaints received and material gathered during investigations.