- Sunday, March 09, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
Nine people have been booked in Meerut in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh for allegedly forcing 400 people to convert to Christianity.
It was reported that the victims approached the police and complained that they were lured to make the religious conversion. The incident happened in Malin village in Magat Puram in Meerut.
The victims said in their police complaint that they were forced to do away with the idols and deities of Hindu gods and goddesses, India Today reported.
The accused, as per the first information report, came in contact with the victims during the Covid-19 pandemic time.
On Friday (28), the victims went to a local police station with a leader of the state’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and complained that the accused had lured them with money and food for converting to Christianity. They also said that the accused were forcing the villagers to get rid of the idols and statues.
“We were pressurised to religious conversion and were asked to change our names on our Aadhaar Cards (an identity document in India). When we were worshipping on the day of Diwali, the accused barged into our houses and vandalised the idols of deities. They said when you have converted your religion, then why are you doing this? When we protested against this, they threatened us to death,” they said, according to the report.
A top police officer confirmed that some people reached the police station and made the complaint.
“It is alleged that people of other religions want to forcibly convert the religions of the people of Malin village. Instructions have been given to take action by registering an FIR against the accused. The matter will be investigated and appropriate action will be taken,” he was quoted as saying.
