A man, identified as Rajesh (also known as David), was arrested on Friday in Rae Bareli on charges of converting people to Christianity. The arrest follows a prayer meeting he organized in Baradar village of Gurubakshganj on Thursday, where he reportedly claimed that conversion could lead to healing from diseases and promised financial assistance to those who converted.
According to ASP Sanjeev Sinha, police acted on information received about the gathering, which included approximately 60-70 attendees, among them women and children. Upon arriving at the location, the police recovered books and literature related to Christianity. Rajesh, who presided over the meeting, was subsequently taken into custody.
Rajesh, a native of Unnao, has been formally charged under the Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance. SHO Gurubakshganj Brajesh Kumar Singh stated that the police are questioning around 25 individuals who were present at the meeting to determine if more people were involved in the conversion activities.
The investigation is ongoing as authorities seek to uncover the extent of the alleged conversion efforts in the area.
This story was originally published in theobserverpost.com.