A Christian pastor originally from Kerala has been arrested in Uttar Pradesh following allegations of illegal religious conversion.
Police identified the pastor as Jose Thomas, 47, a native of Thiruvananthapuram who is currently based in Patna, Bihar. According to local authorities, he had travelled to Ballia district, where he was reportedly addressing a small gathering of women and children when he was stopped by security personnel.
Officials claim he was involved in activities aimed at religious conversion, allegedly offering incentives such as promises of employment and financial assistance. During the operation, police said they seized religious literature, musical instruments and audio equipment. A case has been registered under state laws governing religious conversion, and investigators have indicated that his financial records will be examined as part of the inquiry.
The arrest follows a number of similar cases involving Christian leaders in different parts of India.
In a recent incident near Kanpur, police in Ghatampur detained Pastor Albin, also from Thiruvananthapuram, after a complaint was filed by members of the Bajrang Dal, a Hindu nationalist organisation. His relatives were briefly held and later released, while he was granted bail approximately one week after his arrest.
In another case in Nagpur district, Maharashtra, police arrested Reverend Sudheer of the CSI Church Nagpur Mission during a Christmas prayer meeting held in a village. His wife, along with relatives and friends present at the gathering, was also detained after complaints from Bajrang Dal activists alleging conversion-related activities. A local court later granted bail to those arrested.
These developments have drawn renewed attention to the implementation of anti-conversion legislation in several Indian states.
Dinanath Jaiswar, a human rights advocate associated with Alliance Defending Freedom India, said that dozens of Christians, including pastors, are currently in prison in Uttar Pradesh under conversion-related charges. He expressed concern over what he described as a rise in complaints and interventions linked to prayer meetings and Christian gatherings.
Advocacy groups have called for due process, protection of religious freedom and restraint from vigilante actions. Christian leaders across India have urged believers to remain peaceful and steadfast in faith while seeking justice through lawful means.
This is a rewritten version of the original article from Asia News.
