Police in Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur district have arrested three individuals, including a pastor, following allegations of unlawful religious conversion activities at a local church. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, December 29, 2024, also saw members of the Bajrang Dal gathering outside the place of worship in protest.
Arrests and Allegations
According to officials from the Radha Nagar police station, the arrests were made based on a formal complaint. The Station House Officer, Vinod Kumar Maurya, identified the arrested persons as David Gladwin (the pastor), Abhishek Gladwin, and Johan Vishwas, also known as K K Bangali. An FIR was registered against these three named individuals and seven unidentified persons.
The complaint was filed by a local resident, Devprakash Paswan. He alleged that he and two others—Neeraj Paswan and Sushil Raidas—were called to the church in Deviganj at 10 am on Sunday. Paswan claimed that during the gathering, which involved prayers and hymns, the accused offered inducements like money, household items, jobs, and free education for children in exchange for converting to Christianity.
Protest and Police Action
Tensions escalated when a group of Bajrang Dal workers arrived at the church and staged a demonstration. Police personnel were quickly deployed to the scene and managed to bring the situation under control. Virendra Pandey, the state vice-president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), stated that Bajrang Dal workers went to the location after receiving information about the alleged conversions and subsequently informed the police.
Authorities confirmed that they received information about an argument outside the church on Sunday afternoon. Police assured the gathered crowd of a thorough investigation and took the three accused into custody for questioning. Officer Maurya denied allegations that any of the accused were assaulted by the public.
Legal Charges and Ongoing Probe
The case has been registered under serious sections of the law. Police have invoked sections 299 (deliberate acts to outrage religious feelings) and 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Additionally, sections of the stringent Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act have been applied against the accused.
In his detailed complaint, Devprakash Paswan further alleged that when he and others protested inside the church, they were threatened and even offered Rs 1,100 to remain silent. He also claimed that the accused had been visiting his village, Achgawa, in small groups, urging residents to attend church every Sunday with promises of monetary rewards.
Police teams are currently working to trace the remaining seven accused who are reportedly absconding. The investigation into the alleged conversion racket is ongoing.
