Poor villagers lured to convert to Christianity under the garb of "healing meeting"

Case ID : 152de69 | Location : Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, India | Date of Incident : Fri, 17 January, 2025
Case ID : 152de69
location Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, India
date 17 January, 2025
Poor villagers lured to convert to Christianity under the garb of "healing meeting"
Predatory Proselytisation
Conversion/ attempts to convert by inducement

Case Summary

In Bansdand village, Lailunga of Raigarh district, Bajrang Dal workers stated to have received information about attempts to convert people under the guise of a "healing meeting." Acting on this tip, they reached the village, which led to a significant dispute with members of the Christian community present there. Upon receiving reports of the incident, the Lalunga police arrived at the scene. Six individuals, including a pastor who reportedly came from Odisha, were detained for questioning based on a complaint. The police began an investigation but did not confirm any cases of conversion. A written complaint regarding the matter was lodged by former district member Lokeshwar Sidar at the Lalunga police station. The authorities were conducting further inquiries to determine the facts of the case.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category of- Predatory proselytisation. Under this, the sub-category selected is- Conversion/ attempts to convert by inducement. Predatory Proselytisation is not just limited to threat, harassment, force and violence, but it also has contours of stealth. In several cases, the Hindu victim is exploited to convert, with non-Hindus taking advantage of their poverty. In such cases, the Hindu victim who is suffering financially is offered monetary benefits, including lucrative offers for jobs, health treatment, education, etc, to induce the victim into changing his/her religion. In such cases, the religious identity of the victim and the aim to disenfranchise him from his faith form the heart of the crime. Also, taking advantage of and exploiting an individual’s economic vulnerabilities is widely acknowledged as exploitation, forms of which are often penalised by law. Such cases therefore are considered religiously motivated hate crimes since the victim’s religious identity forms the very heart of the crime itself. The incident involving poor villagers being lured to convert to Christianity under the guise of a "healing meeting" is a clear example of a religiously motivated hate crime categorized as predatory proselytisation. Such acts exploit the vulnerabilities of marginalised individuals, often targeting their economic hardships, lack of access to healthcare, or emotional distress. By presenting promises of miraculous healing or material benefits, these orchestrated events manipulate the poor and vulnerable into abandoning their faith, effectively stripping them of their religious identity. This inducement-driven conversion stems from an intrinsic animosity toward the victims' original faith, using their vulnerabilities as leverage to achieve religious and ideological dominance. Since exploiting vulnerabilities for the explicit purpose of conversion is purely based on animosity towards the victim's faith, this case has been categorised as a religiously motivated hate crime.

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Case Status


Arrested

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Perpetrators Details

Perpetrators


Christian Extremists

Perpetrators Range


From 5 to 10

Perpetrators Gender


both

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