Hindus targeted for religious conversion; subjected to denigration of Hindu faith and Christian indoctrination
Surguja, Chhattisgarh, India 
15 October, 2025
Case Summary
In Kumharta Gavardand village, under the Darima Police Station area in Ambikapur, Surguja district of Chhattisgarh, Hindus were targeted for Christian conversion by three Christian men. The victims were subjected to denigration of Hinduism and were indoctrinated with the teachings of Christianity. According to media reports, this incident took place on 16th October 2025. The accused were identified as Jaiprakash Sahu, a resident of Sitapur; Ajit Kumar Kujur, a resident of Mangari; and Jhakal Ram, a resident of Gavardand. The three men gathered around 50 Hindus at Jhakal Ram’s house, where they attempted to indoctrinate them by preaching the supposed importance of Christianity. At the same time, they used highly insulting language against Hinduism. When other villagers learned of the gathering, they surrounded those engaged in the conversion activity. The police arrived shortly thereafter, based on information provided by the deputy sarpanch’s husband, Chuneshwar Yadav, and the situation was brought under control. The police stated that the three accused had entered the village, insulted the Hindu faith, and attempted to forcibly convert people to Christianity. Acting on the complaint lodged by Chuneshwar Yadav, the police booked the accused under Section 4 of the Chhattisgarh Religious Freedom Act, 1968, and Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and initiated an investigation.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category- Predatory Proselytisation. The subcategory selected 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. The other subcategory selected is- Proselytisation by grooming, brainwashing, manipulation or subtle indoctrination. 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 represents a clear instance of an anti-Hindu hate crime, where the Christian perpetrators specifically targeted Hindus for conversion. When individuals or groups deliberately target members of a particular religious community to convert them to their faith, it transcends mere proselytising and becomes a clear case of religious animosity. Conversion that occurs through persuasion, coercion, or indoctrination rather than genuine personal conviction constitutes a violation of the victims' religious identity and fundamental rights. Such conversions are designed to strip Hindu victims of their faith, making this a religiously motivated crime that strikes at the heart of their religious and cultural identity. The Christian perpetrators attempted to convert Hindus by systematically denigrating Hinduism, a faith that holds profound reverence within the Hindu community. Hinduism forms an integral part of Hindu identity—it is the faith the Hindu victims have grown up with and practice wholeheartedly throughout their lives. The Christian perpetrators in this case sought to convert people by deliberately insulting and degrading Hindu beliefs and practices. This approach represents a direct affront to the sentiments and dignity of the Hindu community. Abusing the Hindu faith to coerce people to convert to Christianity showcases deep-seated religious animosity. This strategy is employed to make Hindus feel ashamed and inferior about their faith, thereby manipulating them into conversion. Such tactics constitute a religiously motivated hate crime. Simultaneously, while Hinduism was being demeaned, the accused began glorifying Christianity to influence those gathered. They used scorn against Hindu beliefs as a tool to psychologically weaken the Hindu victims, and then presented Christian teachings as the only “truth.” This two-fold strategy exemplified organised indoctrination — first eroding pride in victims' original faith, then implanting reverence for the Christian faith. Such manipulation does not represent spiritual teaching but systematic brainwashing, aimed at turning Hindus away from their roots through guilt and confusion. This systematic approach demonstrates clear indoctrination and brainwashing tactics used to convert innocent Hindus to Christianity, making it a clear instance of religiously motivated crime. These instances of targeted proselytisation activities stem from inherent hostility towards the victims' 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 the parameters of a religiously motivated attack against Hindus and their faith, it is being added to the hate crime database of the Hinduphobia Tracker. Disclaimer: Media reports stated that around 50 Hindu villagers were targeted for conversion in Surguja, Chhattisgarh, but no gender-wise breakdown was provided. For documentation clarity, the Hinduphobia Tracker used a proportional demographic estimate based on India’s Census 2011 and NFHS‑5 (2019–21) rural population data. Accordingly, the 50 participants were estimated as 27 men (54%) and 23 women (46%), reflecting typical adult participation patterns in rural communities.
Victim Details
Total Victim
50
Deceased
0
Gender
- Male 27
- Female 23
- Third Gender 0
- Unknown 0
Caste
- SC/ST 0
- OBC 0
- General 0
- Unknown 50
Age Group
- Minor 0
- Adult 0
- Senior Citizen 0
- Unknown 50
Case Status
Complaint registered
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
