Hindu villagers lured into conversion through deceptive prayer gatherings, monetary inducements, insults to Hinduism, and covert brainwashing tactics
Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, India 
6 January, 2024
Case Summary
The Mehnagar police have arrested an individual accused of attempting to convert villagers to another religion by luring them with money, and subsequently sent him to jail. The case came to light when Suraj Singh, the son of Sahabraj Singh from Devkali village under Mehnagar police station, filed a written complaint on January 8, 2024. He stated that on January 7, 2024, around 1 PM, Dharmendra, son of Firtu Ram and a resident of the same village, gathered a crowd of villagers under the influence of religious missionaries. During the gathering, he allegedly demeaned Hinduism while offering inducements to persuade the villagers to participate in a prayer meeting aimed at converting them to another faith. Based on this complaint, a case was registered at Mehnagar police station under Case No. 09/24, invoking IPC Section 505(2) and Sections 3 and 5(1) of the Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, against Dharmendra. The investigation was immediately initiated. On Tuesday, January 9, 2024, Sub-Inspector Dal Pratap Singh, in charge of Singhpur outpost, along with his team, arrested the accused near the residence of Rambharose in Devkali Basti at around 11 AM. During the arrest, police also recovered a Christian religious text, the New Testament, from his possession. Authorities confirmed that the case is under active investigation, with a focus on identifying whether the accused was part of a larger network promoting illegal conversions in the area.
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- 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 subcategory selected in this case 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. In this case, Hindu villagers were lured to convert to Christianity through incentives and denigration of Hinduism. The nature of the conversion efforts and the wider impact on the Hindu community all indicate a targeted action against Hindus as a community. When evangelists and Christian missionaries focus their efforts on converting members of a particular religion, in this case, Hindus, then it demonstrates a fundamental disregard for that 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 missionaries specifically targeted Hindus, which suggests a lack of respect for Hinduism and its followers. Such actions are carried out with the intention of stripping Hindu victims of their faith. The use of incentives like offering jobs, money, a house, and arranging marriages to encourage Christian conversion clearly demonstrates that these actions were not motivated by kindness or charity. Instead, they were calculated attempts to exploit vulnerable Hindus specifically because of their religion. By providing inducements to Hindus to change their faith. The Christian perpetrators were effectively emotionally blackmailing those vulnerable Hindus who might have been desperate for assistance. Such instances are seen in many cases where members of Christian missionary groups target socially and economically vulnerable Hindus to further their agenda of religious conversions. This form of coercion strips Hindus of their agency and dignity and enforces forced conversions. These are not random or isolated incidents, but rather are premeditated efforts to undermine the Hindu faith, persuade Hindus to discard their own faith, and convert to Christianity. Such acts are deeply rooted in religious animosity towards Hindu victims. Furthermore, the perpetrator made denigrating remarks about Hinduism. This makes the religious motivation behind the crime even more evident. This goes beyond religious debate or proselytisation; it constitutes an act of incitement and insult directed at the core beliefs of the Hindu community. Such remarks are designed to assert Christian supremacy and demean and undermine the faith of Hindus, fostering an environment of hostility and disrespect. These acts of insulting Hinduism stem from Christian theology, which harbours disdain and hatred for polytheistic faiths, and which categorises Hindus as ‘polytheists’, thereby fostering hatred against them. This instance again makes the religious motivation behind the crime very evident. Moreover, illegal conversion activities targeting poor and economically vulnerable Hindus were being carried out under the guise of a prayer meeting. The use of a prayer meeting is often used as a front for religious conversion activities, where, many times, indirect and manipulative methods are used to lure or convince individuals into conversion, especially when the targets are economically vulnerable people. In such cases, conversion isn’t driven by genuine spiritual awakening but by exploiting the emotional, social, and material needs of the vulnerable. Prayer meetings often serve as a setup where people are gradually conditioned, emotionally manipulated, and made to feel disillusioned with their own faith, while being subtly indoctrinated to accept Christianity. Further, the seizure of Christian religious texts, specifically intended to induce conversion, demonstrates that this was not an isolated act of evangelism, but part of a broader, organised operation. When religious material is used to exploit trust and facilitate conversion by manipulation and brainwashing, it constitutes a religiously motivated crime, especially when done systematically. These instances of targeted proselytisation activities stem from inherent hostility towards the Hindu 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.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
