UP: 9 booked over alleged forced religious conversion in Meerut

An FIR was lodged against nine people and a probe ordered following allegations of religious conversion, police said on Saturday.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rohit Singh Sajwan said a complaint was received regarding religious conversions and Brahmapuri police station had been asked to investigate the matter.

"On the basis of the preliminary investigation report, a case was registered against nine people, including three women, on Friday. The investigation is going on," the officer said.

The complaint was filed by a few residents of Mangatapuram Colony.

According to the complainants, during COVID-19, some people provided food and financial assistance to the poor living in the area. They alleged that the accused then forced these people to convert to Christianity, the police said.

"Not only this, pictures of Hindu gods and goddesses are also being thrown out by the accused from the houses of the people of Mangatapuram Colony. On protesting or complaining about the incident to anyone, the accused come home with knives and sticks and threaten to kill," according to the complaint.

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While there is no mention of how many people have been converted, local BJP leader Deepak Sharma claimed that more than 100 people living from Mangatapuram Colony had allegedly been converted to Christianity.

"This has been going on for the past three years. During the COVID-19 period, the people were given ration and money to convert to Christianity. Now, other people are being threatened to convert as well," Sharma alleged.

The nine persons named in the FIR are Chhabili alias Shiva, Binwa, Anil, Sardar, Nikku, Basant, Prema, Titli and Reena under Section 3, 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Unlawful Conversion Prohibition Act.

Police are yet to make an arrest.