Six Christian missionaries disparage Hinduism, convert people to Christianity under the guise of exorcism
Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India 
26 October, 2024
Case Summary
On October 27, 2024, in Narwari Bagh of Akhand Nagar, Sultanpur, police detained half a dozen individuals accused of converting people under the guise of performing exorcisms. Acting on a tip from local officials, police intervened and took the suspects to the station for questioning. The accused, linked to a Christian missionary group, were promoting conversions by criticising Sanatan Dharma during exorcism rituals. The situation escalated when villagers, alerted by Block President Ram Murti and Commissioner of Paudhan Rampur, confronted the group. A formal complaint was filed, and the case was registered.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case is being added to two sub-categories under the primary category 'Predatory Proselytisation'. The first sub-category is 'conversion/attempting 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 inducement offered to the Hindus was that of exorcism. Exorcism is usually promised by Christian missionaries to lure Hindus into conversion to Christianity claiming that the exorcism will caste our demons from their body and cure ailments. The second sub-category this case is being added to is 'converting/attempting to convert 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. In this case, the Christian perpetrators were using disparaging remarks against the Hindus' professed faith in an attempt to brainwash them and disenfranchise them from Hinduism. Since the religious animosity harboured by the perpetrators is evident from the details of the case, this case is being added to the hate crime database.
Case Status
Complaint registered
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 5 to 10
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
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