Shivpuri (Madhya Pradesh): Five people, including four government employees, were arrested on charges of forceful religious conversion in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri on Wednesday. The accused offered Rs 25k to the members of the Scheduled Tribe community to convert to Christianity.
The four government employees included three teachers and a patwari.
Acting on complaint, Badarwas police arrested five people within 6 hours.
Offered ₹25k cash
According to police, the accused had allegedly been active for the past 4-5 years. They would promise a better future, education for children, marriage help for daughters and ₹25,000 in cash.
So far, police investigations have confirmed the religious conversion of around 50 people.
Officials said the number could rise as the investigation continues. Police are also probing the funding network behind the conversions and searching for other people linked to the case.
Two days earlier, activists from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal had reached the spot and demanded the removal of a church allegedly built on forest land. Following this, the forest department demolished the structure.
Links extend to Chhattisgarh
Police investigations revealed that regular meetings were held at the homes of Bahadur Bhil and Somla Bhil, where villagers were allegedly pressured and persuaded by highlighting the ‘benefits’ of religious conversion.
The accused are also suspected to have links with people in Chhattisgarh’s Jashpur, Surguja and Balrampur districts. Police said efforts are on to trace the entire network, funding sources, and other associates.
Earlier as well, an illegal church built on forest land in Gudhaldang village of the Badarwas area had been removed by the administration, raising concerns about ongoing conversion activities in the region.
