Hindu women enticed to convert to Christianity by offering financial incentives
Lakhimpur, Uttar Pradesh, India 
25 January, 2025
Case Summary
In Behjam town of Lakhimpur Kheri, a religious conversion racket operating for months was uncovered. The incident came to light after reports went viral on social media. On January 26 morning, Neemgaon Police Station Officer Sunita Kushwaha, along with Dial 112 police and Behjam outpost in-charge Siddhant Panwar, conducted a raid at a house suspected of hosting conversion activities. During the raid, hundreds of people, primarily women, were found gathered at the location. Investigations revealed that two individuals associated with a Christian missionary were enticing women to convert to Christianity by offering financial incentives. It was also discovered that some sacred water was being used as part of the conversion process. Women at the scene stated they were promised special benefits for converting. The police detained two suspects and began interrogations. Activists from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and other Hindu organisations announced plans to file complaints regarding the incident. Local authorities stated that they are preparing to take strict action due to the seriousness of the matter. Neemgaon Police Station Officer Sunita Kushwaha confirmed that a complaint had been received and assured that appropriate action would follow upon investigation.
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 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. Here, some Christian evangelists attempted to convert Hindus by offering financial incentives and special benefits. The use of inducements to convert individuals is indeed a common tactic in efforts to influence or manipulate vulnerable individuals into changing their faith. This approach often targets economically disadvantaged groups, offering material benefits such as food, money, or livestock 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 or financial pressures. 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
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
