15 arrested for trying to convert people in Sahibabad

A man invited people to his house on the pretext of a puja, but it turned out to be a conversion attempt instead as people of another faith started preaching

The Ghaziabad police on Monday arrested 15 persons, including seven women, for allegedly inducing people to religiously convert in Sahibabad’s Karhera locality.

15 people, including Dinesh Kumar and his wife, were arrested based on a complaint lodged by Subhash Chand Jatav. The FIR was registered under the provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act at Sahibabad police station. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

The police said a local man invited people from Karhera to his house on Sunday evening, on the pretext of attending a puja, but it turned out to be a conversion attempt instead as a group belonging to another faith started preaching religious texts and luring the guests to convert on Sunday evening.

The police said that they have registered an FIR against 15 named suspects and two other unidentified individuals under the provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act at Sahibabad police station.

The FIR was lodged by Karhera resident Subhash Chand Jatav who attended the event hosted at the house of Dinesh Kumar.

In his complaint, Jatav said Kumar invited him for a puja at his house.

“The FIR was lodged on a complaint given by Jatav. In Karhera, the group was luring people by telling them that their illnesses and ill health would get healed and that they would be given a financial assistance if they start following the practices of the other religion. Based on a complaint, 15 people, including Kumar and his wife, were arrested,” Bhaskar Verma, assistant commissioner of police, Shahibabad, said.