Tribal Hindus misled into conversion under false promises of curing illness, coerced into participating in “Hallelujah” event

Case ID : aa4afca | Location : Sundargarh, Odisha, India | Date of Incident : Wed, 23 April, 2025

Case ID : aa4afca

Sundargarh, Odisha, India

23 April, 2025

Tribal Hindus misled into conversion under false promises of curing illness, coerced into participating in “Hallelujah” event

Predatory Proselytisation

Conversion/ attempts to convert by inducement

Proselytisation by grooming, brainwashing, manipulation or subtle indoctrination

Pattern of targeting Hindus

Case Summary

In the tribal-dominated district of Sundargarh, Odisha, an incident of religious conversion was reported. Christian missionaries were found conducting a “Hallelujah” event intended to convert local tribal families. The event was held in Chadashahi village under Phuljhar panchayat in Lahunipara block, without obtaining the mandatory approval from the administration as required under the Odisha Freedom of Religion Act, 1967. Initially, the preachers denied any wrongdoing, but upon being confronted with the legal provisions, they conceded that no permission had been sought. Following opposition from local villagers and social activists, a tense situation arose, after which the missionaries assured that they would refrain from such activities in the future before leaving the village. The programme had been organised under the leadership of two local individuals, Nandi Patra and Gangi Patra, with the aim of converting 11 families. As part of the ceremony, participants were taken to a local stream for ritual bathing, provided with new clothes, and prepared for conversion in the presence of around 20 Christian preachers. The news reached nearby social workers, including Bharat Mahant, Sipun Barik, Sushant Kumar Shatapathi, Bablu Rajput, and Maheshwar Mahakud, who, along with villagers, confronted the group and interrupted the proceedings. According to the villagers, the group had arrived in three vehicles from places like Rourkela, Kutra, Kuarmunda, and Dumermunda. Leaders from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal later demanded strict action against illegal conversions and urged authorities not to permit such “Hallelujah” programmes, citing concerns over exploitation of tribal communities and the false allurement of curing illness given by missionaries and the spread of superstition.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category- Predatory Proselytisation. The sub-category relevant in this case 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 other sub-category relevant is- Proselytisation by grooming, brainwashing, manipulation or subtle indoctrination, and the tertiary category selected is- Pattern of targeting Hindus. 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. This case qualifies as a religiously motivated hate crime because it involved the deliberate targeting of vulnerable tribal Hindus with the intent to convert them by exploiting their social and emotional vulnerabilities. A key tactic used was the promise of curing illness. Such promises were not accompanied by any legitimate medical support but instead used as a manipulative tool to displace the victims from their native dharmic faith into another belief system. This form of inducement not only takes advantage of the victims’ physical conditions but is fundamentally designed to discredit and devalue their existing faith, making it inherently discriminatory and malicious in nature. It also reflects a broader, well-documented pattern of targeting Hindus, especially those from tribal or economically weaker backgrounds, through religious brainwashing. The “Hallelujah” programme, involving symbolic rituals like forced bathing and giving new clothes, was not a spontaneous spiritual gathering but a carefully choreographed effort to implant religious allegiance to a different faith. The repeated use of such programmes across tribal regions indicates a pattern, not isolated occurrences, further establishing the religious malice and strategic nature of these efforts. As such, this incident goes beyond a legal violation—it represents a calculated assault on the religious identity and freedom of vulnerable Hindu communities, and is thus recognised as a hate crime. Disclaimer: Here it becomes important to note that none of the media reports on this case mention the exact date when the conversion occurred in 2025. Therefore, to document this case, we have chosen a date, which is not accurate but only indicative of the year. Disclaimer: In this case, it is mentioned that members of 11 families were converted to Christianity. However, the exact number of individuals involved in the conversion is not specified. Due to this lack of clarity, we have relied on the most recent Indian census data, which indicates that the average family size in India is approximately 4.8 members per household. To ensure a standardised estimation, we have opted to consider an average of 5 members per family. Based on this approach, the estimated total number of victims in this case is calculated as 55 individuals.