Hindu villagers in Prayagraj repeatedly targeted with promises of healing and jobs for conversion to Christianity
Prayagraj (Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh, India 
21 June, 2025
Case Summary
In the Nevada Bazaar area of the Bahria police station jurisdiction in Prayagraj, Hindu individuals were being lured with promises of relief from illness, monetary benefits, and job opportunities, only to be subjected to religious conversion into Christianity under the guise of healing rituals and spiritual deliverance. Villagers informed the village head, who then contacted local BJP and VHP leaders about the ongoing conversion activity. The matter was swiftly communicated to the police. Station House Officer Mahesh Kumar Mishra of Bahria Police Station arrived at the scene with police personnel to control the situation. Upon the arrival of the police, several organisers attempted to flee the site, which led to further agitation among the gathered protesters. Three individuals—Anil Kumar, Krishna Kumar, and Sanjay—were detained on the spot for questioning. Law enforcement intervened and succeeded in de-escalating tensions, eventually suspending the event. A total of 18 individuals have been booked under relevant legal provisions, and an investigation is ongoing to ascertain the facts and determine further action. Abhishek Yadav shared details about the recurring gatherings. According to him, these meetings are held every Sunday in the area, drawing in economically and socially vulnerable individuals under various pretences. He called for a thorough investigation, stating that such events pose a threat to the cultural and religious fabric of the region. Testimonies recorded by the police include those of Usha Devi Patel and Rajesh Kumar Patel from Bhawanigarh. They reported that they were invited with assurances of employment, financial assistance, and healing. At the venue, they were introduced to Christian teachings and were encouraged to adopt the faith for material and personal benefit. Munisha Nand Mishra, the village head of Tulapur, voiced concern over the pattern of influence on economically disadvantaged women in the name of spiritual healing. She stressed the need for strict legal action to address the misuse of religious practices for conversion purposes. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Phoolpur, Pankaj Lavania, confirmed that a formal complaint had been lodged by Vivek Kumar, a resident of Sarai Sultanpur in the Mauaima police station area. Based on this complaint, a case has been registered against 18 individuals, and three are currently under interrogation.
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 - 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 relevant here is - Proselytisation by grooming, brainwashing, manipulation or subtle indoctrination. Within it, the sub-category selected - 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 qualifies as a hate crime because the victims’ religious identity as Hindus was directly targeted, and the perpetrators employed a calculated strategy to exploit their vulnerabilities for religious conversion. Testimonies confirm that inducements such as employment and financial help were offered to lure economically vulnerable Hindus. Once brought into the fold, they were introduced to Christian doctrine and pressured to convert. This constitutes a religiously motivated hate crime because the targeting of Hindus was rooted in their socio-economic vulnerability, and the intent was to alienate them from their original faith through material inducements. The core of the crime lies in the victim’s Hindu identity, which is what the perpetrators aimed to replace through enticement. The weekly nature of the “Yeshu Darbar” sessions, as noted by local leaders and witnesses, demonstrates a sustained pattern. These gatherings were not one-off occurrences but regularly organised events that systematically engaged Hindu individuals, especially those from marginalised backgrounds, offering emotional and psychological reassurances such as freedom from illness or suffering. Such an orchestrated attempt to exploit the trust and emotional dependency of vulnerable attendees, often using spiritual authority to override individual judgment. Such systemic grooming, especially when aimed at disenfranchising a religious group from their tradition, constitutes a hate crime driven by animosity and religious exclusivism.
Case Status
Case sub-judice
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 10 to 100
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
