A priest and his wife belonging to Kerala were arrested during a Christmas prayer meeting in Maharashtra on 29 December, triggering widespread condemnation from church leaders and political figures in Kerala.
Father Sudheer of the Church of South India South Kerala Diocese and his wife Jasmine were taken into custody around 8 p.m. on Tuesday along with 10 others at a private residence in Singodi village, Warud taluka, Amravati district. The arrests followed a complaint filed by local resident Lakshman Shede, who alleged that people were being offered money for religious conversion.
Bajrang Dal activists lodged the formal complaint and staged protests outside Benoda police station, demanding legal action against the priest. Police registered a case under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, citing charges of hurting religious sentiments.
Father Sudheer, a native of Amaravila in Thiruvananthapuram district, has been serving in Maharashtra for five years, focusing on educational and social service activities in villages around Nagpur. His wife Jasmine clarified to police that no conversions had occurred and that the group had gathered at a friend’s residence for a birthday celebration and Christmas prayers.
The District and Sessions Court in Warud granted conditional bail to eight of the accused on 31 December. Church leaders reported that even those who went to the police station to enquire about the detained individuals were also arrested and had cases registered against them.
The arrests sparked immediate political backlash in Kerala. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan described the incident as “deeply disturbing” and said it followed a “worrying pattern” by the Sangh Parivar of targeting minorities to fuel polarisation, referencing similar incidents in Jabalpur. “Such actions undermine constitutional freedoms,” Vijayan stated.
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan wrote to both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, calling the incident a serious violation of fundamental rights. “Arresting individuals for conducting a peaceful prayer meeting is unconstitutional and contrary to the spirit of our democratic and secular values,” he wrote.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who represents Thiruvananthapuram constituency where Father Sudheer hails from, expressed relief at the bail being granted. “As Father William’s MP, I hope the case is speedily disposed of,” Tharoor stated, noting that the CSI South Kerala Diocese “enjoys an excellent reputation in my constituency” and has “no record of actively promoting conversions.”
Malankara Orthodox Church Catholicos Baselios Marthoma Mathews III also weighed in, describing the situation as deeply concerning. “The existence of Christianity is being questioned here. The Constitution guarantees equal rights to minorities and the majority alike. Everyone has the right to practise their religion, and no one can prevent that,” he said.
Bishop Sabu Malayil Koshy, secretary of the CSI Bishops’ Council, strongly condemned the police action, calling it “a blatant violation of constitutional freedoms.” Speaking in Kottayam, he noted that Father Sudheer’s work had significantly contributed to village development and stressed that the activities in question were simply Christmas-related worship services.
“The silence of political leadership and the government in the face of attacks on Christians sends the wrong message to the perpetrators,” Bishop Koshy warned. “Such inaction, especially when a response is needed, indirectly encourages these actions.”
The CSI Church has pledged full legal support to those arrested and announced it is monitoring similar incidents across India. The church sent a delegation to Nagpur to provide legal assistance.
Speaking to media after his release, Father Sudheer termed the incident a “planned attack” and revealed he had previously faced threats from BJP, Shiv Sena and Bajrang Dal activists. He alleged that police denied him humanitarian consideration while in custody, questioning whether he used clerical vestments or held a Bible.
“Hindus and Muslims can wear their religious attire. But a bishop, priest, or nun is told not to wear theirs. This is a type of double standard,” he said. He further alleged that police told him not to read the Bible. “Am I not allowed to read the Bible or read it aloud to others?” he questioned. “Is there no freedom even to sing Christmas carols? I don’t understand what wrong I committed.”
Father Sudheer also alleged that Bajrang Dal activists attacked those who came to help them, inflicted injuries, demanded money and attempted to seize their vehicles. “It is a terrifying situation,” he said.
His wife Jasmine stated that they went out for gospel work and will continue to spread the gospel as long as God provides them the opportunity.
The arrest comes amid a broader pattern of violence against Christians during the 2025 Christmas season, with over 80 incidents documented across multiple states. The incident has put the BJP on the defensive in Kerala, where assembly elections are scheduled for 2026 and the party has been actively courting Christian voters, particularly in Central Travancore.
The Catholic Church, through its official publication Deepika, also criticised Prime Minister Modi’s silence on recent anti-Christian attacks, adding to mounting pressure on the Centre.
