Hindu community in Pilibhit targeted; Muslim healers use exorcism and fake healing to force religious conversions

Case ID : 30a8f54 | Location : Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, India | Date of Incident : Fri, 12 June, 2026

Case ID : 30a8f54

Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, India

12 June, 2026

Hindu community in Pilibhit targeted; Muslim healers use exorcism and fake healing to force religious conversions

Predatory Proselytisation

Conversion/ attempts to convert by inducement

Proselytisation by grooming, brainwashing, manipulation or subtle indoctrination

Pattern of targeting Hindus

Case Summary

In the village Rampura Fakire, Pilibhit district, Uttar Pradesh, Hindu villagers were targeted for religious conversion by Muslim perpetrators from Lakhimpur Kheri district. They operated under the cover of exorcism, healing, and traditional healing practices for an extended period. As per the report, several Muslim individuals from Lakhimpur Kheri district repeatedly visited Rampura Fakire village. They presented themselves as practitioners of exorcism and ritual cures, offering to rid villagers of evil spirits and ailments through charms, rituals, and totems. These activities were not genuine acts of spiritual or medical assistance but were deliberately used to gain the trust and confidence of Hindu families, with the objective of facilitating their conversion. According to media reports, the accused individuals, identified in the complaint as Vittu/Bittu Sanam, her husband Vinod, the son of Dullu, Ashish Saxena, and others, all residents of Lakhimpur Kheri district, had made sustained contact with residents of Rampura Fakire village. They presented themselves as practitioners of exorcism and traditional healing, claiming the ability to rid villagers of evil spirits and ailments through rituals. Through these activities, they facilitated the religious conversion of the innocent villagers. As stated by Mamta, mother of the victim Pinky, in a video of the incident, the accused approached her daughter on the pretext of begging for alms. When Pinky came near, the accused performed certain exorcist practices on her, which frightened the girl. She began shouting, and upon hearing her screams, the mother and villagers gathered. Upon receiving information from villagers about these activities, workers and office-bearers of Rashtriya Bajrang Dal mobilised in large numbers and arrived in the village. They gathered information about the matter and subsequently submitted a written complaint at Madhotanda police station, naming Vittu Sanam, Vinod, son of Dullu, Ashish Saxena, and others as accused. The complaint stated that the individuals had exploited religious faith and superstition to bring Hindu families under their influence and demanded strict legal action against those found responsible. Following the spread of information about the incident, a large number of residents and organisation workers gathered at the scene, which created a tense atmosphere in the area. Police personnel arrived promptly, brought the situation under control, and appealed to those present to disregard rumours and maintain peace. Police subsequently took four individuals into custody and commenced interrogation. Authorities stated that they examined the matter seriously and worked to ascertain the veracity of the conversion claims. Police officials further stated that formal legal action would be initiated only after the investigation was complete and the facts had been established. At the time of reporting, no FIR had been registered, and the investigation remained ongoing. Rashtriya Bajrang Dal reiterated its demand for stringent legal action against the accused.

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 inducements. 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 other subcategory selected is - Proselytisation by grooming, brainwashing, manipulation or subtle indoctrination, with the tertiary category being - Pattern of targeting Hindus. Religious brainwashing essentially means the often subtle and forcible indoctrination to induce someone to give up their religious beliefs to accept contrasting, regimented ideas. Religious grooming or brainwashing also involves propaganda and manipulation. It involves the systematic effort, driven by religious malice and indoctrination, to persuade “non-believers’ to accept allegiance, command, or doctrine to and of a contrasting faith. Cases of such grooming or brainwashing are far more nuanced than direct threats, coercion, inducement and violence. In such cases, it is often seen that there is repeated, subtle and continual manipulation of the victim to induce disaffection towards their own faith and acceptance of the contrasting faith of the perpetrator. While subtle indoctrination is widely acknowledged as predatory, an element which is often understated in such conversions or the attempts of such conversion is the role of loyalty and trust which might develop between the perpetrator and the victim. Fiduciary relationships are often abused to affect such religious conversion. For example, an educator transmitting religious doctrine of a competing faith to a Hindu student. The Hindu student is likely to accept what the teacher is transmitting owing to the existence of the fiduciary relationship. The exploitation of the fiduciary relationship to religiously indoctrinate victims would also be included in this category. Since the underlying animosity towards the victim’s faith forms the basis of predatory proselytisation, such cases are considered religiously motivated hate crimes. This case was added to the tracker because Hindu villagers were specifically targeted through a calculated and sustained effort designed to facilitate their religious conversion by exploiting their faith, fears, and vulnerabilities. Rather than approaching individuals openly with a religious objective, the perpetrators embedded themselves within the community by presenting themselves as practitioners of exorcism and traditional healing, allowing them to gain access to Hindu families under the guise of providing spiritual assistance. The conduct demonstrated a deliberate strategy of manipulation. Deeply rooted religious beliefs and pre-existing superstitions within the rural community were used as tools to establish credibility and cultivate trust. By claiming the ability to remove evil spirits, cure afflictions, and resolve personal difficulties through rituals and charms, the accused positioned themselves as figures of authority and influence. These practices were not merely incidental to the conversion effort; they functioned as the mechanism through which confidence was gained, and resistance was lowered. Once trust had been secured, the resulting relationship of dependence created opportunities to exert influence over the religious beliefs of those who sought their assistance. The case also reflected a broader pattern of organised targeting rather than isolated interactions. The repeated outreach towards members of the same Hindu community indicated an intention to expand religious influence among a specific population identified by its faith. The objective was not simply to engage with individuals experiencing personal difficulties but to use those circumstances as an entry point for altering religious allegiance. Such conduct demonstrated a sustained effort to weaken attachment to Hindu beliefs and create receptiveness towards a competing religious identity. The exploitation of trust, vulnerability, and existing belief systems to facilitate religious change transformed what might otherwise have appeared to be spiritual guidance into a predatory exercise in religious influence. The use of deception, psychological conditioning, and gradual indoctrination allowed the perpetrators to advance conversion objectives while concealing their underlying intent. Since the activities specifically targeted Hindus and relied upon manipulation and sustained religious influence to encourage abandonment of their faith, this case was included in the tracker as a religiously motivated act directed against Hindus through organised conversion efforts. Disclaimer: The Hinduphobia Tracker records incidents according to the date on which an event occurred or when the victim’s experience first began. Media reports covering this case did not specify the exact date on which the conversion-related activities commenced. Accordingly, the date entered into the tracker corresponds to the date on which the matter was first reported in the media. Media reports indicated that multiple individuals were affected by the conversion activities. However, only one victim, Pinky, was specifically identified and named in the available reporting. Accordingly, the victim count was recorded as one (1) for documentation and indexing purposes. This figure should not be interpreted as representing the total number of affected individuals, as the actual number of victims may be higher.