Four Christian evangelists arrested for running Christian conversion drive in the name of free education in Jharkhand
Chakradharpur, Jharkhand, India 
6 June, 2023
Case Summary
In Chakradharpur city, West Singbhum district of Jharkhand, four individuals were arrested for conducting a religious conversion drive under the guise of providing free education. The suspects, three women and a man visited Neeche Tola's Kolsai village in Kendo panchayat of Devgaon, claiming to promote education and distributing school supplies to village children. However, it was discovered on Wednesday, June 7, that the distributed books contained information about Jesus Christ and the Bible, sparking objections from villagers who then alerted Sangeeta Savaiya, the deputy head of the village panchayat. Subsequently, Chakradharpur Police Station was notified, and Sub-Inspector Vivek Pal arrested the accused. Sangeeta Savaiya stated that villagers reported the suspects propagating Christianity under the guise of free education, distributing a book containing assignments referencing Jesus Christ or the Bible.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
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. In this case, the Christian evangelists were attempting to exploit a specific vulnerability of the victims who were in all likelihood also economically backward. The missionaries exploited the poor victims by promising them free education for their children - something that they probably could not afford for their children. Since exploiting vulnerabilities for the explicit purpose of conversion is purely based on animosity towards the victim's faith, this case has been categorised as a religiously motivated hate crime.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
both
Sources 
