Hindus lured and offered money for religious conversion by two Christian missionaries in Mirzapur
Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, India 
27 September, 2025
Case Summary
In Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, Hindus were targeted and offered money in exchange for religious conversion by two Christian missionaries. According to the complaint filed by a local Hindu man named Dashrath, illegal religious conversion activities were being carried out at Sariya Chakjata Church. He stated that money was being offered by the pastor to push people towards conversion. Police registered a case against two people, Devasahayam Daniel Raj of Tamil Nadu and Mithilesh Kumar of Sonbhadra. Police confirmed that a case was under sections of forced religious conversion and that further legal action was being taken.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category- Predatory Proselytisation. Within this, the subcategory 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. This case has been added to the tracker because Hindus were lured with monetary inducements for religious conversion two by Christian missionaries at Sariya Chakjata Church. The use of incentives to encourage Christian conversion clearly demonstrates that these actions were not motivated by kindness or charity. Instead, they were calculated attempts to exploit vulnerable Hindus specifically because of their religion. By providing inducements to Hindus to change their faith, the Christian perpetrators were effectively pressuring those who might have been in need of assistance. Such instances are seen in many cases where members of Christian missionary groups target socially and economically vulnerable Hindus to further their agenda of religious conversions. This form of coercion strips Hindus of their agency and dignity and enforces forced conversions. These are not random or isolated incidents, but rather premeditated efforts to undermine the Hindu faith, persuade Hindus to discard their own faith, and convert to Christianity. The Christian faith, by its very theological foundations, places a strong emphasis on proselytisation. In pursuit of conversion objectives, Christian evangelists often employ unethical means, ranging from psychological pressure and misinformation to inducements and denigration of Hinduism. These are not random or isolated incidents, but rather premeditated efforts to undermine the Hindu faith, persuade Hindus to abandon their own religion, and convert to Christianity. Such acts were deeply rooted in religious animosity towards Hindu victims, and thus, this case was added to the tracker.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
