Hindus, including minors, targeted for conversion to Christianity through inducements
Etah, Uttar Pradesh, India 
14 June, 2025
Case Summary
In Etah, Uttar Pradesh, Christian missionaries were converting Hindus to Christianity by offering them inducements. They were arrested by the police. Hindu activists filed a police complaint. They stated that people were being lured with money, jobs, and other inducements to convert at a house located on Qila Road. In response, Station House Officer (SHO) Nirdosh Singh Sengar conducted a raid on the premises with the assistance of police personnel. Multiple Christian religious books were also found on the premises. Members of Hindu organisations expressed their anger over the incident. After considerable effort, the door of the two-storey locked house was opened. Inside, several women, children, and some men were found. Four Christian missionaries were arrested. The arrested individuals include Vijay (Akbarpur Kot), Mahavir Singh (Bharapura), Sarvan Singh (Luhari Darwaza), and Dharmveer (Gamhari Ghazipur, Firozabad). The police brought all individuals to the station for questioning. Bajrang Dal activist Aditya Rathore stated that Christian missionaries were attempting religious conversion by offering money and jobs. He demanded strict action in the matter. SHO Nirdosh Singh Sengar confirmed that Christian religious books were recovered from the scene. He stated that the matter has been reported to senior officials, and further action will be taken as per their directives.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category of - Predatory proselytisation. Within it, the sub-category 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 incident in Etah, Uttar Pradesh, in which four individuals were arrested for attempting to convert Hindus to Christianity through material inducements, constitutes a religiously motivated hate crime. While the act may not involve direct violence, its very nature involves the systematic targeting of vulnerable Hindus with the intent to separate them from their inherited religious identity, which is a fundamental form of harm. Offering incentives to encourage conversion, particularly when directed at individuals who are vulnerable or in need, shows that these incentives are not acts of kindness or charity. Instead, they are calculated moves to exploit vulnerable Hindus because of their religion. By providing inducements to Hindus to change their faith, the accused were effectively blackmailing those 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 people of their agency and dignity and enforces forced conversions. These are not random or isolated incidents, but rather cases deeply rooted in religious animosity towards Hindu victims. It is further important to note here that a few victims were minors, which means the element of consent and genuine change of conscience was missing ab initio. Minors, due to their young age and lack of maturity, are particularly vulnerable to manipulation and coercion. They may not have the ability to fully understand the implications of converting to another religion, and the Christian missionaries purposely targeted and exploited this vulnerability of the victim. Since this case exemplifies the use of inducements to achieve religious conversion, it is a blatant act of religious hate, which is why it has been documented here in the hate tracker.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
