Hindus being lured to convert to Christianity through cure for illnesses and denigrating Hindu gods and goddesses
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India 
2 March, 2025
Case Summary
Three houses in Lucknow were illegally converted into Christian prayer halls, where Hindus were being lured and persuaded to embrace Christianity. On February 9, 2024, a Christian prayer hall named Yeshu Prarthana Sabha was raided in Bharwara Estate Colony, Gomti Nagar Extension, Lucknow. Inside, more than 200 Hindus were found attending a Christian prayer meeting. These gatherings were allegedly organised as a means to attract and convert Hindus. Hindu activists arrived at the scene and informed the police, who discovered an unofficial ‘church’ operating from three residential properties. Journalist Swati Goel Sharma recorded a statement from a Hindu woman participating in the gathering. She revealed that she had been attending these meetings in search of 'treatment' for her ailments. This suggests that the conversion network was exploiting people’s vulnerabilities by making false claims that Christian prayers could heal illnesses. Additionally, Swati Goel Sharma shared a video testimony of a Hindu man named Ritesh Mishra, who had reported the prayer halls to the police. He alleged that these three houses served as centres for illegal religious conversions. Another individual, Yogesh, noted that the general public was not allowed inside, with entry being restricted to Sundays and granted only through references or prior registration. Yogesh had confronted the property owner, Rajeev Lal, a year earlier after overhearing Hindu deities being insulted during a Christian gathering in the same buildings, indicating that denigrating Hindu gods was being used as a tactic to encourage conversion. A Hindu attendee, Sahaj Ram Yadav, stated that God is worshipped in many forms, including Allah, Bhagwan, and Yeshu, and that he would consider converting if he found it beneficial. Speaking to police officials, Swati Goel Sharma was informed that since there was no evidence of forceful conversion, a case could not be registered. However, they assured that police deployment would prevent further gatherings, as the centre was operating without legal permission or registration. Ritesh Mishra also confirmed that no formal complaint was filed by the police. The accused were identified as Rajeev Lal and several others. The charge against them was that they were running a religious centre without proper authorisation.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
Thia case has been added to the tracker under the prime category- Predatory Proselytisation. Under this, the first 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 second sub-category chosen is- Harassment, threats, coercion for conversion. Harassment covers a wide range of behaviours of an offensive nature. It is commonly understood as behaviour that demeans, humiliates, and intimidates a person, including threats and coercion. Harassment and threats, in this case, find their root on discriminatory grounds which has the effect of nullifying a person’s rights or infringing upon his freedom to exercise his right specifically owing to the victim’s religious identity. Verbal and physical threats and psychological or physical harassment are often used against Hindu victims because they choose to practice their professed religion. Religious harassment also includes forced and involuntary conversions by harassment, threats or coercion. Coercion includes intimidatory tactics like force-feeding a Hindu victim beef to convert to another religion, forceful circumcision etc. In several cases documented, non-Hindu perpetrators or those who harbour specific animosity towards Hinduism, harass victims simply based on their religious identity. Such cases often also include harassment to ensure the Hindu victim abandons his/her professed religion and adopts the religion of the perpetrator. Such cases where Hindu victims are harassed to convert to the perpetrator’s religion are rooted in animosity towards the victim’s religious identity and are therefore documented as religiously motivated hate crimes. The third sub-category under which this case has been placed is- Attempting to convert/converting by denigrating Hinduism. In several cases, Hindus are converted or an attempt is made to convert Hindus by denigrating their faith, Hinduism. In such cases, the Hindus associate with the non-Hindu perpetrators often by choice and then, the attempt to convert them by insulting their faith, showing the faith down etc begins. An example of this would be a non-Hindu gathering where the Hindus are attending the gathering of their own free will. However, once they attend the gathering, there is an explicit attempt to convert them by abusing their faith and hailing the faith of the perpetrator. The denigration of the Hindu faith is often based on misrepresentation of the Hindu faith, its doctrine and scriptures and insult to espoused traditions if not blatant lies about Hindu beliefs and ways. Such conversions or attempts at conversions are driven by animosity towards the Hindu faith and are therefore documented as religiously motivated hate crimes. This case is rightly categorised as a religiously motivated hate crime against Hindus under multiple categories, as it involves deliberate attempts to convert Hindus through inducement, coercion, and the denigration of their faith. Here, an unauthorised Christian prayer hall was being operated within residential properties, where over 200 Hindus were lured under the false pretext of receiving ‘treatment’ for ailments. Exploiting vulnerable individuals by misleading them into believing that Christian prayers can cure illnesses is a clear tactic of deception and manipulation, targeting Hindus for religious conversion. Additionally, the testimonies provided by witnesses, including Ritesh Mishra and Yogesh, highlight that harassment, threats, and coercion for conversion were also at play. The fact that access to the prayer hall was restricted to select individuals and required prior registration or reference indicates an organised effort to isolate potential converts and influence them away from Hinduism. Furthermore, the complaint by Yogesh regarding the denigration of Hindu deities during these gatherings shows that conversion attempts were not merely about spreading Christian beliefs but actively involved insulting Hindu gods to undermine the faith of the attendees. Insulting Hinduism in attempts to brainwash Hindus against their religion stems from the animosity against the Hindu faith, making them a clear instance of religiously motivated hate.
Victim Details
Total Victim
200
Deceased
0
Gender
- Male 0
- Female 0
- Third Gender 0
- Unknown 200
Caste
- SC/ST 0
- OBC 0
- General 0
- Unknown 200
Age Group
- Minor 0
- Adult 0
- Senior Citizen 0
- Unknown 200
Case Status
Complaint not filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
