Local church in Nepal lures Hindus to convert to Christianity, Hindu organisations demand action against Pastor Bharat Mahato for carrying out mass conversion
Janakpur Zone, Nepal 
30 August, 2024
Case Summary
In Nepal's Dhanusha district, a case of religious conversion of Dalit Hindus to Christianity sparked protests. On August 31, 2024, members of Hindu organisations gathered outside a local church, stating it was luring poor Hindus into conversion. In response to the tensions, police arrived to maintain order and ultimately sealed the church for operating without legal documentation. The church, run by Pastor Bharat Mahato, a Hindu by birth who later converted to Christianity, was constructed about five years ago in Shaheed Nagar Municipality, Ward No. 3. Local residents, many from poor or middle-class backgrounds, reportedly began attending the church for prayer meetings. Rajesh Yadav, the National President of Nepal's Hindu Samrat Sena, stated that his organisation had been monitoring the church’s activities and gathered evidence showing that it was distributing Bibles and encouraging Dalit attendees to convert. After gathering video and photographic evidence, the Hindu Samrat Sena issued a memorandum to the local administration demanding the church's closure. When no action was taken, protesters raised slogans outside the church. They also discovered that minors were also being targeted for conversion. Following an examination of the church's documents, police found it lacked proper authorisation and sealed it, recovering Christian literature in the process.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
In this case, there is a strong suspicion that the conversion activity was a result of inducement, coercion or brainwashing. However, from the available information, there is no indication of what the inducement was. It is entirely possible that the conversion in this case was voluntary in nature. It is therefore being categorised as 'undecided'. If more information emerges, it would be added to the hate crime database.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
