Hindu residents targeted for conversion by organised religious conversion racket operating across multiple parts of Ladakh
Leh, Ladakh, India 
16 June, 2026
Case Summary
In Leh, Ladakh, Hindu residents were targeted for conversion by an organised religious conversion racket that was operating across multiple parts of the Union Territory. According to reports, eight individuals were detained by the police following information received regarding conversion-related operations being conducted in different regions of Ladakh. Based on the information gathered, an FIR was registered at Leh Police Station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and an investigation was initiated into the activities of the group. According to the police investigation, the detained individuals had engaged local youth in conversion-related activities in the regions of Zanskar, Changthang and Aryan Valley. Preliminary enquiries revealed that the group had rented a residential complex in the Skampari area of Leh, where offices had been established for the translation and dissemination of religious literature. The premises were also used for carrying out religious conversion activities. During the operation, police seized several laptops, digital devices and other materials connected to the activities under investigation. Authorities subsequently launched a broader probe to determine the extent of the network's operations within Ladakh and to identify any additional individuals or organisations linked to the conversion-related activities. The investigation remained ongoing at the time of reporting.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category of - Predatory Proselytisation. Within it, the sub-category selected is - Proselytisation by grooming, brainwashing, manipulation or subtle indoctrination. 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 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 proselytization, such cases are considered religiously motivated hate crimes. This case has been included in the tracker because it involved organised efforts to convert members of the Hindu community in multiple parts of Ladakh by an organised religious conversion racket. The racket was engaged in conversion-related activities targeting local Hindu residents and had established infrastructure for the translation and dissemination of religious material. The organised nature of these activities demonstrates that the actions were not directed at specific individuals for personal reasons but were aimed at inducing members of the Hindu religious community to abandon their existing faith and adopt another. When adherents of one religion are singled out as targets for conversion, the conduct transcends ordinary religious propagation and becomes an intrusion upon the religious identity, beliefs, and cultural continuity of the targeted community. Conversion efforts directed at Hindus are not merely attempts to change an individual's spiritual beliefs; they seek to detach individuals from the religious practices, customs, heritage, and collective traditions associated with Hinduism. Such actions reveals a lack of respect for the legitimacy and continued existence of the Hindu faith as a belief system worthy of preservation in its own right. By specifically focusing on Hindus as subjects for conversion, the perpetrators treated Hindu religious identity as something to be altered or replaced, thereby targeting individuals on the basis of their religion. The scale and organisation of the operation further reinforce the religious motivation behind the incident. The existence of dedicated premises, translated religious material, digital infrastructure, and coordinated activities spread across multiple regions reveals a systematic effort to influence and convert Hindus rather than isolated expressions of personal belief. Such organised attempts were rooted in religious animosity with the intention to draw Hindus away from their faith, constituting a form of religious targeting. For this reason, the incident represents a hate incident against Hindus and has been included in the tracker under the category of predatory proselytisation targeting members of the Hindu community. Disclaimer: The Hinduphobia Tracker records incidents based on when an event occurred or when the victim's ordeal began. It is important to clarify that none of the media sources covering this case has specified the exact date when the conversion activities began. Therefore, for documentation purposes, we have recorded the date based on when the incident was reported in the media, 17 June 2026.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
From 5 to 10
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
