Hindu families in Bhojpur targeted by Christian man using faith healing and religious books as conversion tools
Bhojpur, Bihar, India 
26 February, 2026
Case Summary
Hindu families belonging to the Mahadalit, the most economically marginalised community, in Chatar village under Badhra police station in Bhojpur district, Bihar, were subjected to predatory proselytisation by a Christian man known locally as “Paani wale Baba”, meaning “the water healer”. He used faith healing and the distribution of free religious literature as tools to draw Hindu villagers towards religious conversion. The perpetrator, a resident of Muzaffarpur and identified as a Christian, had been visiting the Pakadiya Tola and Bind Toli areas of Chatar village. He was known among villagers for treating ailments through water and faith-based practices referred to locally as jhad phoonk, a traditional method of healing. Under the cover of offering free medical treatment and what were presented as miraculous cures, he gradually steered Hindu villagers towards conversion. He also distributed religious books brought from Nepal among the Hindu residents. The Hindu villagers of Pakadiya Tola and Bind Toli, who belonged to the Mahadalit community, were specifically targeted. According to local residents, the perpetrator took advantage of the vulnerability and economic hardship of Mahadalit Hindu families, using promises of healing and free treatment to influence them. When news of the conversion activities spread through the village, local residents and workers from Hindu organisations, including Bajrang Dal, gathered at the spot, leading to unrest. Police from Badhra police station arrived in the village and began questioning those present. When officers attempted to take the perpetrator for questioning, some women at the scene objected and physically prevented the police from doing so, which caused the situation to escalate temporarily. The police left without detaining him. Following media coverage, SDPO Ranjit Kumar Singh visited the village to investigate. He stated that no concrete evidence of religious conversion had been found at that stage and that the perpetrator had visited the village for treatment purposes. Police urged residents to maintain peace and stated that legal action would be taken if evidence emerged during the ongoing investigation.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The primary category for this case is "Predatory Proselytisation". The secondary category for 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. Another sub-category for this case is "Proselytisation by grooming, brainwashing, manipulation or subtle indoctrination. The tertiary category here would be "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 qualified as a hate crime on the basis that a Christian perpetrator specifically targeted vulnerable Hindu families belonging to the Mahadalit community in Chatar village, Bihar, using faith healing and the distribution of free religious literature as tools to draw them towards religious conversion. His activities were directed exclusively at Hindu families, exploiting their economic vulnerability and limited access to healthcare to advance a conversion agenda. The perpetrator used free faith healing and religious books brought from Nepal as both material and psychological inducements to attract vulnerable Hindu villagers towards conversion. Instead of engaging in open religious dialogue, he offered promises of miraculous cures and free treatment to Hindu families who lacked adequate healthcare facilities. This reliance on inducements and the exploitation of hardship reflected an attempt to convert by leveraging vulnerability rather than through transparent theological engagement. His approach was gradual and calculated. He established himself in the community under the identity of “Paani wale Baba”, building trust among Hindu Mahadalit families through repeated visits and the provision of faith-based treatment. After gaining their confidence, he introduced religious literature and conversion-related material. This pattern of building trust before introducing conversion efforts reflected a method of subtle and sustained influence directed at vulnerable individuals. The selection of victims was also significant. The perpetrator operated in the Pakadiya Tola and Bind Toli areas, which were home to economically and socially marginalised Hindu Mahadalit families. The focus on this specific section of the Hindu community demonstrated a deliberate pattern of identifying and targeting those most susceptible to material and psychological inducement. The activity extended beyond an isolated incident and reflected a sustained effort aimed at Hindu families within the locality. Given that this case met the parameters of a religiously motivated hate crime, it was added to the hate crime database of the Hinduphobia tracker. Disclaimer: The Hinduphobia Tracker records incident dates based on when a crime occurred, or a victim's ordeal began, rather than when the media reported it. In this case, media reports did not state the exact date when the Hindu victims' ordeal began. Therefore, the publication date, February 24 2026, serves as the indicative incident date. This was recorded for documentation purposes only.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
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