Hindu villagers targeted for religious conversion by Christian missionaries; Hindu deities demeaned
Hazaribag, Jharkhand, India 
8 January, 2026
Case Summary
On 9th January 2026, in Koriadih village, Barhi block, Hazaribagh district, Jharkhand, poor and vulnerable Hindu families were targeted by Christian groups attempting to convert them. Hindus were being lured with inducements and promises to abandon their faith. As per reports, the situation in Koriadih village became tense when villagers became aware of outside interference and the conversion of Hindus in the village. As soon as they became aware of these activities, they convened a Mahapanchayat under the leadership of Mukhiya Rajendra Prasad of Dhanwar Panchayat. The meeting was attended not only by men but also by a large number of women. Villagers asserted that attempts were made by the Christian missionaries to convert innocent Hindus in the area by misleading and luring them. The Panchayat declared its opposition to the conversion drives and resolved to protect Hindu traditions and religious identity. The conversion attempts involved calling Hindu families to prayer meetings based on Christian religious scriptures. During these gatherings, Hindu gods and goddesses were demeaned, while Christianity was glorified to create pressure for conversion. The activities were seen as a direct assault on the Hindu faith and social harmony, carried out within the village itself. The Panchayat’s collective resistance demonstrated the determination of Hindus in Barhi to defend their religion and cultural continuity against organised proselytisation campaigns.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The primary category selected is Predatory Proselytisation. The secondary categories selected are: 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 second sub-category selected is: Proselytisation by grooming, brainwashing, manipulation or subtle indoctrination with the tertiary category '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 the 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 proselytisation, such cases are considered religiously motivated hate crimes. The other significant sub-category 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 incident in Koriadih village, Barhi block, Hazaribagh district, was not an isolated religious interaction but a structured effort aimed specifically at poor and vulnerable Hindu families. Christian groups selectively approached Hindu households and sought to draw them into prayer meetings with the objective of persuading them to abandon their faith. The selection of economically weak and socially vulnerable Hindus indicates intentional targeting based on both religious identity and susceptibility. A central religious marker in this case is the use of inducements as leverage for conversion. Villagers reported that Hindu families were lured with promises of support, assistance, and improved circumstances if they agreed to convert. Such inducements undermine genuine religious choice and turn faith into a transactional outcome. When material or emotional relief is linked to abandoning one’s religion, it constitutes coercive interference with religious freedom and reflects hostility toward the continued practice of Hinduism. Another significant marker is the denigration of Hindu deities and beliefs during the conversion process. During prayer meetings conducted on Christian scriptures, Hindu gods and goddesses were demeaned, ridiculed, or portrayed as inferior, while Christianity was simultaneously glorified as superior or salvational. This contrast was used to psychologically pressure Hindu attendees, creating doubt about their own faith while elevating another religion. Such conduct goes beyond proselytisation and enters the realm of religious insult and humiliation. The meetings also involved subtle brainwashing and indoctrination techniques. Repeated gatherings, emotional persuasion, and selective religious narratives were used to gradually erode Hindu religious confidence. By repeatedly exposing Hindu families to messaging that delegitimised their beliefs while promoting conversion as a solution to personal and social problems, the accused parties engaged in sustained psychological manipulation rooted in religious hostility. The pattern of activity further reinforces religious motivation. These efforts were not sporadic but ongoing, prompting villagers to recognise a broader attempt to alter the religious fabric of the village itself. The collective participation of men and women shows that the targeting was widespread and affected the village as a whole. In conclusion, this case qualifies as a religiously motivated hate crime because it involved systematic targeting of Hindus, the use of inducements to pressure religious abandonment, the denigration of Hindu deities, the glorification of Christianity to create coercive contrast, and sustained indoctrination efforts aimed at weakening Hindu religious identity. The intent, methods, and pattern of conduct collectively demonstrate hostility toward the Hindu faith and justify its inclusion in the Hinduphobia Tracker.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
