Christian evangelists, including women, convert several poor villagers to Christianity under guise of curing illnesses
Bara Banki, Uttar Pradesh, India 
9 November, 2024
Case Summary
In Barabanki's Kotwali Haidergarh, a case of religious conversion under the guise of exorcism and miraculous healing has surfaced. Nine individuals, including three women, were arrested during a police raid in Gautaman Purwa village. The accused were reportedly organizing a Christian prayer meeting at the residence of Munni Lal, where they allegedly persuaded people, especially the poor, to convert to Christianity by promising cures for diseases through supernatural means. The police, acting on a tip-off from a local resident, Vijay Hindustani, intervened and recovered items like Bibles, prayer books, and musical instruments linked to Christianity. When officers arrived, the accused attempted to flee but were apprehended. The Additional Superintendent of Police confirmed that a case has been registered, evidence has been seized, and further investigation is ongoing.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This particular case has been classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under the core category of Predatory Proselytisation because of the various distinct components that demonstrate the perpetrator's bias against the Hindu faith and the deliberate attempt to alienate the victims from their Hindu identity. Further, based on the case details, the sub-category chosen under the above-mentioned category 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. Here, some Christian evangelists attempted to convert Hindus through inducements, such as promising cures for diseases through supernatural means. This approach often targets economically disadvantaged groups, offering material and medical benefits in exchange for conversion. It creates a form of dependency that can alienate individuals from their original faith, as they may feel compelled to convert not out of genuine belief but due to immediate needs. Here too, the Christian evangelists adopted a similar tactic of exploiting the vulnerability of the Hindus to convert them to Christianity. 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.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 10 to 100
Perpetrators Gender
both
Sources 
