Kashmir pastor arrested

The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday arrested Pastor CM Kanna of the All Saints Church in Srinagar.

Khanna was facing a case of alleged conversion after a video showed him converting a group of Muslim men earlier this month.

According to sources, Khanna has been charged under Section 153-A and 295-A. While there are no anti-conversion laws existing in the state, the pastor has been apparently booked for disturbing peace and hurting religious sentiments of the people.

The head of the Sharia court in Kashmir, Mufti Mohd Bashiruddin, was quoted by media as saying that the pastor was found guilty of the charges and even had "confessed" to his crime.

The Grand Mufti said whatever decision will be taken must be implemented by the government, else "there will be serious consequences".

A video had surfaced last month in which Khanna was allegedly shown baptising at least six Muslim and one Hindu youth.

The video clip of the conversion had sparked protests from Muslims and also from moderate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

Although Khanna had openly confessed that he was preaching the Gospel in Kashmir, he did not admit that he was engaged in conversions through allurement.

The allegation against him is that Muslim boys converted by Khanna were lured by money.

He earlier had squarely denied any wrongdoing and said he gave baptism to the Muslim youths only after they had agreed for the same.