Minor Hindu children and poor families targeted for religious conversion by Christian missionaries; attacked for resisting
Patna, Bihar, India 
31 December, 2022
Case Summary
In Patna district’s Gopalpur area, Christian missionaries were involved in efforts to convert both minor and adult Hindus to Christianity over the past two years. The activity came to light only recently after locals raised objections, leading to a formal complaint and an intelligence alert from the Army Intelligence Unit in Lucknow. Following this, police registered a case against four individuals, arrested them, and initiated a broader investigation. For nearly two years, a rented house in Ward No. 5 of Kannauji village was being used to convert economically vulnerable Hindu residents, particularly from lower-income backgrounds, through inducements such as free education, financial incentives, and promises of a better lifestyle. According to Deepak Kumar, a resident of the area who filed a written complaint with the Gopalpur police, the activities were being conducted under the guise of prayer meetings and educational classes. News 18 reported that children were taught inside the premises during the week, and on Sundays, their parents were addressed through religious discourses. Over time, the local community grew suspicious due to the rising influence of Christian missionary ideology and unusual behavioural changes observed in attendees. What particularly drew attention was the change in appearance of individuals entering and exiting the house—many entered in casual clothes and emerged dressed in formal attire such as coats and trousers. When villagers confronted those involved and objected to the covert conversion campaign, they were assaulted and threatened with death. Deepak stated that even the landlord of the house refused to take responsibility and dismissed the issue when approached. The conversion activities were being led by Sushma Kumari, a 20-year-old woman from Doghi village in Rajgir (Nalanda district), who was living in a rented house. She was identified as the main organiser and facilitator of the entire operation. Three others have also been named in the FIR—Rekha Kumari from Piplawa village (under Naubatpur police station), Sita Kumari from Namanchak (Ramkrishna Nagar), and Ashish Kumar, also from Namanchak, son of Ramrathika Paswan. These individuals are accused of assisting in the religious conversion process, particularly by luring individuals with false promises of improved living conditions. The case was formally registered as Gopalpur P.S. Case No. 208/25 under the Bihar Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act. The breakthrough came when a team from Army Intelligence in Lucknow visited the site based on a tip-off. They found a prayer session underway, where efforts were being made to promote Christian religious ideology while offering material inducements to convert. They immediately informed the local police, who responded and arrested the individuals involved. At the time of writing this report, the police investigation was underway to determine the extent of the operation and whether it is linked to a broader network of unlawful conversions in the state. The structured nature of the activities and the involvement of individuals from different districts suggest a larger conspiracy, prompting law enforcement to widen the scope of the inquiry.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker un the primary category of- Predatory Proselytisation. The sub-category selected here 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 other sub-category selected is- Proselytisation by grooming, brainwashing, manipulation or subtle indoctrination, and within it, the tertiary categories selected are - Conversion of minor and 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. The other primary category selected is - Attack not resulting in death. The sub-category selected is - Attacked for opposing radicals or trying to save victim. In several cases, Hindus are attacked for opposing religiously motivated crimes being committed against a fellow Hindu or simply for voicing an opinion opposing radical elements, who either have in the past or continue to persecute Hindus. In such cases, the initial attack against the victim, against which the Hindu was trying to defend the victim, would also need to be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime. Since the initial crime itself was religiously motivated, and the subsequent crime of attempting to save the victim or speaking against the radical elements ends up inviting a violent attack, it would also be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under this category. 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. The defining element of this crime is the deliberate targeting of poor and socially marginalised Hindus, including minors, through inducements like free education, financial assistance, and promises of a "luxurious lifestyle." These inducements were not random acts of charity but were conditional offers designed to entice individuals into converting to Christianity. In this case, it is important to mention that the News 18 report mentioned that minors were targeted by missionaries. Since the victims were minors, there was an absence of both consent and a genuine change of conscience. It is a well-established fact that children are more susceptible to manipulation since they are still developing emotionally, cognitively, and socially. Their brains are not fully mature, making them more vulnerable to influence and less capable of critically evaluating information. Moreover, subtle manipulation tactics can be difficult to detect, making it challenging for parents to identify and address instances of religious manipulation, though in this case, it was addressed. Consequently, cases involving religious manipulation of minors not only represent an infringement on an individual's religious freedom but also demonstrate a calculated strategy of targeting those who are less able to resist or understand the long-term implications of conversion, making it a significant case of religious-motivated hate crime. Further, this case also fits under the category of an attack not resulting in death, as villagers who tried to oppose this illegal conversion racket were physically assaulted and threatened with death. When those who attempt to stop or expose such activities are attacked, it is not just an act of violence—it is an extension of the same religiously motivated aggression that characterises the original act of coercive conversion. In conclusion, this case reveals a systematic and malicious campaign to convert Hindus, not through open debate or voluntary belief, but through stealth, exploitation, and manipulation. It targets a specific religious community (Hindus) and seeks to erode their faith and cultural identity, often under the pretext of humanitarian service. This combination of covert religious agenda, economic coercion, and violent suppression of dissent squarely qualifies the case as a religiously motivated hate crime. Disclaimer: Media reports state that the conversion began in 2023, though no exact date is provided. To document this case, we have used an indicative date—January 1, 2023—as a placeholder to represent the beginning of conversion. The Hinduphobia Tracker records the incident based on when the victim’s ordeal began, not when it was reported.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
both
Sources 
