In-laws force Hindu man to convert to Christianity, desecrate Hindu gods' photos, label Hindu goddesses as "evil"
Bangalore Urban, Karnataka, India 
24 January, 2022
Case Summary
Marappa, a resident of Aravind Nagar, Karnataka, filed a complaint against his father-in-law Vasanthkumar and other relatives for forcing him to convert to Christianity. He reported that they were preventing him from meeting his wife, Sarala, and their newborn baby. Marappa stated his in-laws threatened, blackmailed, and assaulted him. During his wedding in 2020, he was forced to convert by taking a dip in holy water. He also stated that they desecrated Hindu gods' photos and labelled Hindu goddesses as "evil." A month after the wedding, Marappa and his family reconverted to Hinduism. However, his wife’s family did not allow her to return to Hinduism. When Sarala was pregnant, Marappa sent her to her parent's house and later learned about the birth of his child from others. When his family visited the newborn, they were abused and denied entry. Marappa stated that he was only allowed to see his wife and child if he converted to Christianity. Marappa urged the police to take action against his in-laws and reunite him with his family. The case remained under investigation.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added under two prime categories of the hate tracker. The first is- Man attacked for being associated with a non-Hindu woman. Under this, the sub-category selected is- Threatened to convert by family of partner- When Hindu men are in a relationship with non-Hindu women, there are cases where the man faces threats to convert and change his religious identity by the non-Hindu woman or her family. Such relationships may be consensual with the religious identity of the non-Hindu woman known to the victim. Somewhere along the relationship, the non-Hindu woman or her family starts forcing/pressurizing the Hindu man to convert to Islam and also assaults the victim to force him to convert. Such cases are driven by specific religious motivations and against the religious identity of the victim and are therefore qualified as hate crimes. Cases where the Hindu man converts to Islam and does not file a complaint about the force or threat, are not considered a part of the hate tracker, even though, it may be argued that the man was brainwashed or threatened to convert to Islam. The second category under which this case has been placed is- Attack on Hindu religious symbols. Under this, the sub-category chosen is- Desecration of Hindu religious symbol- Icons and symbols or a religious representation of a spiritual ideal are widely revered in Hinduism. Iconography is of vital significance in the Hindu milieu. It helps connect people’s spiritual beliefs with the real world. Iconography within the Hindu faith takes several shapes and forms. Murtis are of most significance to Hindus, to which daily rituals, prayers and offerings are done. Besides the murtis, there are several other symbols which have deep significance in the Hindu faith – the Om and Swastika for example. Since these Hindu religious symbols hold paramount importance in Hinduism, any desecration of symbols, icons, murtis, religious representations and manifestations, is driven by animosity towards the faith itself which manifests itself through these murtis, icons and symbols. Therefore, any desecration of these Hindu religious symbols and representations is considered religiously motivated hate crimes under this category. Marappa's case exemplifies a crime motivated by religion, as it highlights the coercive tactics employed by his in-laws to force him to convert to Christianity, directly attacking his Hindu identity. The threats, blackmail, and physical assaults he endured were not merely personal disputes but rather targeted aggression stemming from his religious affiliation. The desecration of Hindu deities' images further underscores the religiously motivated nature of the conflict, as it reflects a blatant disregard for Marappa's beliefs and the symbols that are sacred to him. By compelling him to abandon his faith and engage in acts that violate his religious convictions, his in-laws not only attacked his personal autonomy but also sought to erase his Hindu identity. Such actions constitute a hate crime, as they target Marappa based on his religion, seeking to intimidate and control him through the violation of his beliefs and practices.
Victim Details
Total Victim
1
Deceased
0
Gender
- Male 1
- Female 0
- Third Gender 0
- Unknown 0
Caste
- SC/ST 0
- OBC 0
- General 0
- Unknown 1
Age Group
- Minor 0
- Adult 1
- Senior Citizen 0
- Unknown 0
Case Status
Complaint registered
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 5 to 10
Perpetrators Gender
both
Sources 
