Two Arrested On Charges Of Religious Conversion In Greater Noida

The accused denied converting anyone and claimed they were only providing free education and gifts to children from poor families.

Based on the investigation, Suraj Kumar and Chandrakiran were formally arrested and booked for allegedly promoting religious conversion.

Source : ABP

Two people have been arrested in Greater Noida on charges of religious conversion in Sector 36 under the Beta-2 police station area. The accused are alleged to have been conducting prayer meetings at a residential house for the past five years and enticing people from economically weaker sections to convert to Christianity by offering money and promising cures for illnesses.

During a raid at the prayer meeting venue, police recovered a large quantity of Christian religious books, crosses, candles and other related material. According to eyewitnesses from the housing society, around 70 men and women were present at the prayer meeting held on Sunday. The accused also allegedly attempted to argue with the police during the operation.

The two arrested individuals have denied the conversion allegations and claimed that they are Hindus. Police are currently questioning them. Tension was reported in the area following the incident, but the situation has since returned to normal.

What Is The Case?

According to information, the incident is linked to a two-storey house numbered B-224 in B Block of Sector 36. A local resident, Mohan Singh, reportedly learned that religious prayer meetings were being held at the house, where people were allegedly being lured into conversion with financial incentives.

On Sunday around noon, Mohan Singh reached the basement hall of the house and found around 60 to 70 men and women participating in a prayer meeting. A confrontation broke out when those inside objected to his presence, after which he locked the basement gate from outside.

Following the alert, the RWA president Ajay Bhati, Dial-112 police personnel and the station in-charge reached the spot. When police warned the organisers against holding prayer meetings and gathering crowds without permission, the accused allegedly argued with the officers.

Police detained Suraj Kumar, a taxi driver originally from Banswara district in Rajasthan and currently residing in Sigma-2, along with his wife Asha, his sister-in-law Geeta, and Chandrakiran, a resident of Aichhar village and son of Gajendra Singh. All were brought to the police station for questioning.

Accused Denies Conversion Allegations

Station House Officer Vinod Kumar said that during questioning, the accused denied converting anyone and claimed they were only providing free education and gifts to children from poor families. They also denied having converted themselves and maintained that they are Hindus.

Based on the investigation, Suraj Kumar and Chandrakiran were formally arrested and booked for allegedly promoting religious conversion through prayer meetings and other means. The house and the religious material found at the site have been sealed. Further action will be taken based on evidence collected during the probe.

Police have seized the mobile phone of accused taxi driver Suraj Kumar and discovered a WhatsApp group named “Pastor,” which reportedly had a large number of members. The group was allegedly used to circulate content promoting Christianity. Police suspect that similar groups were operated by Suraj Kumar’s wife, sister-in-law and Chandrakiran to encourage religious conversion. Authorities are also examining the bank accounts of the accused.

ACP Arvind Kumar said that Suraj Kumar and Chandrakiran have been arrested and sent to judicial custody. Further questioning is underway.