In a troubling escalation of religious tensions in Uttar Pradesh, multiple Christians have been arrested and detained over the past week on charges of illegal religious conversion under the Uttar Pradesh Unlawful Religious Conversion Prohibition Act. The coordinated police actions in Raebareli and Sitapur districts mark an escalation in the enforcement of the state's controversial anti-conversion statute, which minority faith leaders have long contested.
Multiple Arrests in Raebareli
On February 22, 2025, Pastor Vijay Singh and two others, identified as Ajeet and Ravi Kumar, were arrested from a pastor's house in Sandi Nagin village in Raebareli district. After being taken into custody at the Rae Bareli police station along with a woman identified only as Sushma, Pastor Vijay and his two associates along with Sushma were later sent to Raebareli District Jail.
Local Hindi media reported the incident with inflammatory language, claiming that a “gang involved in converting minors” had been caught, with “one woman among four arrested.” The news report alleged that the group had been operating for several years in the Mill Area police jurisdiction, enticing minors and adults with money and other incentives to convert to Christianity.
The police action reportedly came after complaints from various organizations. The Mill Area police station chief, Rajiv Singh, claimed that Christian missionaries were organizing prayer meetings in Sandiram, Dighiya, and surrounding villages, allegedly luring people of other faiths with money and other incentives, and even attracting children with offers of toffees and pencils to attend prayer meetings.
Targeting of Pastor Anil's Family
In a related incident in Dighiya village of Raebareli district, police visited the residence of Pastor Anil from an AG Church, searching for him. When they could not find Pastor Anil, they took his son into custody. According to reports from February 24, the son was detained at Dighiya police outpost.
Further updates received on February 25 indicate that Pastor Anil's son was released after allegedly settling the matter with the local police. However, Pastor Anil himself was arrested at 2:00 PM on February 25. In a positive development, field reports indicate that Pastor Anil Singh was granted bail the same evening.
Sunday Worship Service Disrupted in Sitapur
In a separate incident in Sitapur district, Pastor Suresh Chand, his wife Nutan Kumari, and four other worshippers - Meena Devi, Uttam Balmiki, Vinit Kumar Redas, and Ladli Devi - were taken into custody during a Sunday worship service at the AG worship centre in Hargaon village. They were charged under both the Unlawful Religious Conversion Prohibition Act and BNS 127/2.
Local Hindi media portrayed this incident as a “major religious conversion case” in Sitapur district. According to these reports, eight people - five women and three men - were arrested for allegedly enticing people to convert by offering money and promises of colony housing. The media report claims the situation was exposed when Bajrang Dal activists arrived at the scene, where approximately 400 people were present. The report further alleges that the Christians locked three Bajrang Dal workers inside a house, holding them hostage, and that police rescued them upon arrival. The charges have been denied by local Christian leaders.
Escalating Situation
Sources confirm that police investigations have expanded beyond the initial arrests. In what appears to be a widening dragnet, authorities visited Pastor Shyam Daniel’s residence after his village was mentioned in a video circulating on social media platforms.
“What we're witnessing is a systematic campaign against minority faith communities,” said a local Christian advocate who requested anonymity due to security concerns. “The anti-conversion law has become a convenient tool to criminalize routine worship activities.”
The Uttar Pradesh anti-conversion law, which was amended in July 2024 to increase penalties to life imprisonment and broaden its scope, has come under sharp criticism from various quarters. The amendment also controversially expanded who can file complaints, allowing “any person” to act as a complainant regardless of whether they were personally affected by alleged conversion activities.
Media articles note that the July 2024 amendment to the anti-conversion law has made it significantly easier for third parties to file complaints, with cases now potentially initiated based on allegations from individuals not directly involved in the alleged conversion activities.
Meanwhile, regional media outlets continue to employ loaded terminology like “conversion racket” and “luring minors,” framing incidents through sensationalist headlines, which local Christian leaders term as “troublesome”.
