Hindu women and children targeted and brainwashed into converting to Christianity through use of Christian religious books
Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India 
10 August, 2025
Case Summary
In Sarkanda, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, Hindu women and children were targeted and subjected to brainwashing intended to induce conversion to Christianity. Christian religious texts and pamphlets were used to facilitate these conversions. Media reports confirmed that the conversions took place under the guise of a prayer meeting. The main Christian accused in this event was a woman named Sandhya Tiwari. She is a pastor who organised a prayer gathering at the home of Chandrikabai Suryavanshi in Bandhwapara Bhandari Plot, Sarkanda. Upon receiving information regarding the prayer meeting, members of a Hindu organisation alerted the police about the religious conversions. When the police arrived, the attendees concealed their Bibles under the bed. The police subsequently recovered Bibles and other materials hidden inside the house. Following this, Pastor Sandhya Tiwari and others were taken to the police station. The officer in charge stated that action would be taken against the perpetrator after a full investigation. Ram Singh from the Hindu organisation confirmed that Sandhya Tiwari was converting women and children under the pretence of prayer meetings. Reports further noted that forcible conversions of Hindus to Christianity had previously occurred multiple times in Bilaspur. The Hinduphobia Tracker has also previously documented several instances of predatory conversion cases from Bilaspur. In one such case in Bharni village, Bilaspur district, Hindus were targeted for conversion to Christianity through deceptive means disguised as prayer meetings, de-addiction initiatives, curing illness, and spiritual awareness campaigns. Victims were subjected to prolonged psychological manipulation and brainwashing to persuade them to abandon their faith. In another instance, in Shiv Vihar Colony of Bilaspur, a Hindu man named Shivkant Kashyap was pressurised to convert to Christianity by Christian evangelists. Other Hindu families in the locality were also targeted for religious conversion through deceptive prayer meetings held at a local house. Similarly, in the Kewatpara area of Bilaspur, a Hindu man named Prakash Singh was coerced into converting through inducements offered by Christian missionaries. Multiple Hindu families, mainly from economically weaker backgrounds, were targeted for religious conversion.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category- Predatory Proselytisation. Within this, the subcategory selected is- Proselytisation by grooming, brainwashing, manipulation, or subtle indoctrination. The tertiary category selected is- 'Pattern of targeting Hindus' and 'Conversion of minor'. 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. In this case, Hindu women and children were brainwashed and manipulated to convert to Christianity by a Christian pastor. Even Christian religious literature and some pamphlets were used to brainwash the Hindu victims into conversion. The nature of the conversion efforts and the wider impact on the Hindu community all indicate a targeted action against Hindus as a collectivity. When individuals or groups focus their efforts on converting members of a particular religion, in this case, Hindus, then it demonstrates a fundamental disregard for the Hindu faith. Conversion, especially when not based on personal conviction but rather on external persuasion or pressure, is not simply about sharing a different belief system. It is an attempt to undermine the values, traditions, and identity of the Hindu community. In this context, the Christian perpetrator specifically targeted Hindus, which suggests a lack of respect for Hinduism and its followers. Such actions are carried out to strip Hindu victims of their faith, making it a religiously motivated crime. The Christian perpetrator was actively attempting to indoctrinate the Hindu victims by using Christian religious texts. Using the scriptures of one faith to deliberately target and manipulate members of another, with the clear intention of religious conversion, represents a direct attack on the Hindu faith. Such actions are designed to exploit and undermine the beliefs of Hindu victims and are clear indicators of religious hostility towards Hindus and their religious identity. The seizure of Christian texts, specifically intended to persuade Hindu victims to convert, further demonstrates that this was not an isolated incident of evangelism, but rather part of a broader, organised operation to further religious conversions. When religious material is used to exploit trust, sow doubt, and misrepresent beliefs to coerce conversion, particularly in a systematic manner, it constitutes a religiously motivated offence. It's also important to note that the victims also included Hindu children. This means the element of consent and genuine change of conscience was missing ab initio. Minors, due to their young age and lack of maturity, are particularly vulnerable to manipulation and coercion. They may not have the ability to fully understand the implications of converting to another religion, and the Christian perpetrator purposely targeted and exploited this vulnerability of the minor victims. Since this case exemplifies the use of manipulation to achieve religious conversion, it is a blatant act of a religiously motivated hate crime against Hindus. Reports also stated that several Hindu women and children were targeted for conversion. Such a targeted attack on a huge group of Hindus, especially when they involve brainwashing, is a clear example of a religiously motivated crime because they are directed at undermining the religious and cultural identity of Hindus through manipulation and unlawful means. It also highlights that the conversions are not isolated or accidental but part of a targeted pattern to convert Hindus to Christianity. By focusing specifically on Hindus, these Christian evangelists religiously profile vulnerable Hindu individuals and work systematically to erase their Hindu identity. These instances of targeted proselytisation activities stem from inherent hostility towards the victim's professed faith since Abrahamic faiths believe that any non-adherent to their faith is subject to being dehumanised till they convert, making it a religiously motivated crime against Hindus. Since this case meets many parameters of a religiously motivated attack against Hindus and their faith; therefore, it is being added to the hate crime database.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
female
Sources 
