Hindu villagers misled, converted to Christianity under garb of healing meeting
Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh, India 
22 February, 2025
Case Summary
In Hargoan town, within the Hargoan police station limits in Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur, an incident of illegal religious conversion came to the fore where poor Hindus were being converted to Christianity under the guise of a Changai Sabha (faith healing gathering). Upon receiving information, Bajrang Dal activists surrounded the house on February 23, Sunday. After a prolonged confrontation, the police were informed, and upon arrival, they arrested several men and women. A large quantity of religious conversion material and books was also recovered from the premises. The illegal religious conversion activities had been ongoing for quite some time in a makeshift church behind the State Bank of India in Hargoan, right under the nose of the local police. Acting on a tip-off, the Hargoan police promptly reached the location and rescued some activists who had been unlawfully detained. They arrested Pastor Suresh Chandra, son of Satallu, along with six women and four men. A substantial amount of Christian religious literature was also seized. Reports indicate that this so-called church had been secretly facilitating religious conversions for an extended period. It had been operating within the house of the alleged pastor Suresh Chandra Raidas, located behind the State Bank of India in Hargoan. Upon receiving the information, Bajrang Dal's district coordinator, Anuj Bhadauria, district treasurer, Pramod Kumar Singh, along with activists Seenu Mishra and Satish Kumar, surrounded the house. They alleged that impoverished men and women from nearby villages were being misled and coerced into renouncing Hinduism and converting to Christianity. Bajrang Dal activists Satish Kumar Mishra, Monu Singh, and Satyendra Singh confronted Pastor Suresh Chandra, who allegedly held them hostage. The police were alerted, and upon arrival, they rescued the detained activists. Several Bibles, musical instruments, and other religious paraphernalia were recovered from the so-called church.
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 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. The systematic effort to convert impoverished Hindus by misleading them under the guise of Changai Sabha (faith healing gatherings) strongly indicates the use of material and emotional inducements. Reports suggest that the accused individuals targeted economically vulnerable villagers, persuading them to renounce Hinduism and embrace Christianity by promising spiritual or material benefits. The presence of large quantities of religious conversion material, including books and Christian literature, suggests an organised attempt to lure individuals with assurances of healing, miracles, or a better life—common tactics used in inducement-based proselytisation. Additionally, the fact that a makeshift church was secretly operating behind the State Bank of India in Hargoan for a long time, without legal approval, further reinforces that the conversions were not spontaneous acts of faith but rather orchestrated attempts to manipulate vulnerable individuals. By presenting promises of miraculous healing or material benefits, these orchestrated events manipulate the poor and vulnerable into abandoning their faith, effectively stripping them of their religious identity. This inducement-driven conversion stems from an intrinsic animosity toward the victims' original faith, using their vulnerabilities as leverage to achieve religious and ideological dominance. 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 
