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Four held over forced religious conversions in Uttarakhand’s Udham Singh Nagar: Cops

Police said the accused were targeting poor, vulnerable families in the Khatima and Nanakmatta regions by allegedly offering money, medical treatment in exchange for conversion

Published on: May 27, 2026 06:53 PM IST
By Neeraj Santoshi, Rudrapur
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Four people were arrested in Uttarakhand’s Udham Singh Nagar district for allegedly attempting to convert members of economically weaker sections, including Tharu community members and Scheduled Castes (SC), to Christianity through inducements, intimidation and organised prayer meetings, police said on Wednesday.

SSP Ganpati said that four cases related to alleged religious conversion have been registered in the district so far. (Representative photo)
SSP Ganpati said that four cases related to alleged religious conversion have been registered in the district so far. (Representative photo)

The arrested persons were identified as Dan Singh Rana (54), a resident of Mohammadpur Bhudiya; Jai Singh Rana (36), a resident of Kutri Chakarpur; Draupadi Rana (32), a resident of Kutri Chakarpur; and Sunil George Pastor alias Sunil George Masih (52), a resident of Bhud Maholiya.

Police said the accused were targeting poor and vulnerable families in the Khatima and Nanakmatta regions by allegedly offering money, financial assistance, medical treatment and other benefits in exchange for conversion. The villagers were reportedly offered ₹6,000 per month and a lump sum payment of ₹2 lakh in exchange for conversion to Christianity.

“Udham Singh Nagar Police will continue to take strict action against those who exploit poverty and vulnerability and induce religious conversions through monetary enticements,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Udham Singh Nagar Ajay Ganpati said.

The first case was registered at Khatima Kotwali on Saturday following a complaint filed by Nivlesh Rana, a resident of Diya village in Khatima, who accused her husband, Sandeep Singh Rana, along with Kamaljeet Singh and Dan Singh Rana, of pressuring her to adopt Christianity. She further alleged that she was threatened and abused after refusing to convert.

Another case was registered on May 10 at Khatima Kotwali following a complaint by Rampal. He accused Jai Singh Rana, Draupadi Rana and Sunil George Pastor of targeting Scheduled Caste families and residents of Tharu-dominated villages through prayer meetings and distribution of Christian literature.

Police have registered FIRs under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act.

Following raids and search operations, police arrested the four accused.

Police officers said a mobile phone recovered from Dan Singh Rana contained photographs and videos of prayer meetings, screenshots of financial transactions and audio recordings allegedly related to conversion activities.

Police added that efforts are underway to arrest other accused persons named in the FIRs.

“The Udham Singh Nagar Police is fully committed to maintaining law and order, social harmony and the safety of all sections of society. Any attempt to disturb peace or force conversions through inducement or fear will invite strict legal action,” SSP Ganpati said.

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeraj Santoshi

Neeraj Santoshi is the Chief of Bureau for Hindustan Times in Uttarakhand, where he leads the state reporting team while covering government, politics, environment, wildlife, Uttarakhand High Court, and issues shaping the Himalayan region. With more than two decades in journalism across conflict zones, he has covered politically sensitive regions and environmentally fragile landscapes, and focused on stories that combine public interest with in-depth storytelling. An alumnus of Pune University with a Master’s in Communication Studies, he has reported extensively from Jammu & Kashmir (2003-2010), Madhya Pradesh (2010 to 2018 ) and Uttarakhand (Since 2018), covering subjects ranging from insurgency, elections and governance to wildlife conservation, mining, climate change, agriculture, human rights and social justice. He has covered politics and legislative assemblies of both Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh over more than a decade. Before taking over as Chief of Bureau in Uttarakhand, he served as Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in Madhya Pradesh and earlier reported for both Hindustan Times and The Indian Express in Jammu & Kashmir, where he covered state politics, environment and insurgency-related developments. Over the years, his stories have focused on environmental degradation, wildlife, illegal mining, governance and the changing social fabric of Himalayan states and Central India. He is particularly interested in long-form explanatory journalism, and stories that explore the intersection of ecology, conservation, governance and society. Outside the newsroom, Neeraj enjoys reading widely on neuroscience, consciousness studies, Artificial Intelligence and quantum physics, with a special interest in Kashmiri Tantric Shaivist traditions. He is also passionate about wildlife, mountaineering and the Himalayas, interests that continue to inform his reporting and deepen his understanding of the region he covers.

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