Conversion meeting held, Bechu Azad arrested for offering healing promises to Hindus if they adopt Christianity
Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India 
26 October, 2024
Case Summary
In Gosaiganj, Sultanpur, a religious conversion meeting in Ramdaspur village drew attention from Bajrang Dal members, who reported the gathering to police, stating it encouraged conversions. Organised by Bechu Azad, alias Chhedi Lal, the event offered healing promises to poor and ill attendees in exchange for converting to Christianity. When people resisted, tensions reportedly arose. Bajrang Dal conveners Gaurav Pandey and Pranjal Singh informed local authorities, who then arrived at the scene. Most attendees fled, but police detained Bechu Azad and found religious books and Christian promotional materials. Following a written complaint from local resident Jiyalal Kori, authorities registered a case against Azad under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case is being added to the primary category 'Predatory Proselytisation' and the secondary category '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. In this case, the religious gathering was held with the motive on converting Hindus to Christianity. Inducement was offered to those Hindus who were poor and unwell, attempting to lure them to convert to Christianity by telling them that the conversion itself would heal with ailment. The report also indicates that the locals resisted the attempts to convert to Christianity, making it evident that the Hindus were being lured against their will. Offering inducements to convert is unlawful since it manipulates an individual/group's vulnerability to mislead them into abandoning their professed religion. Since the religious animosity harboured by the Christians luring and misleading the Hindus to convert to Christianity in this case is evident, it is being added to the hate crime database.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
