Fresh incidents of harassment and arrests linked to allegations of religious conversion were reported across northern India on recent Sundays, with police detaining at least a dozen Christians in separate cases, church representatives said.
In Uttar Pradesh’s Mirzapur district, police detained 10 Christians, including several women, on Dec. 14 while they were attending a Sunday prayer gathering in Kurkuthiya village. The action followed a complaint from a local resident, Anand Dubey, who alleged that the group was violating the state’s anti-conversion law.
The detainees were presented before a local court the next day and sent to judicial custody. According to police, four Bibles, several notebooks and mobile phones were seized during the operation.
A similar incident was reported from Jaunpur district in the same state, where two more Christians were arrested and later remanded to judicial custody, officials confirmed.
In neighboring Rajasthan, tensions flared when a group of Hindu activists entered St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Bichhiwara village of Dungarpur district on Dec. 14 and disrupted the Sunday Eucharist. The group accused the parish priest and others of conducting conversion activities.
Father Rajesh Sarel, the parish priest, said the activists interrupted the Mass and questioned him aggressively about alleged conversions among tribal communities. He denied the allegations, stating that no conversion activities were taking place, but said the group issued verbal warnings against evangelization before leaving the church.
Christian leaders say such confrontations have increased in Rajasthan since the state introduced a strict anti-conversion law in September. The legislation allows for severe penalties, including prison sentences of up to 20 years and heavy fines, for conversions alleged to involve force, inducement, misrepresentation or other prohibited means. The law also shifts the burden of proof onto the accused, a provision critics say makes Christians vulnerable to false complaints.
In Uttar Pradesh, the recent arrests occurred despite a warning issued earlier this month by the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, which cautioned police against the routine and careless application of the anti-conversion law.
In its Dec. 2 order, the court criticized authorities for filing what it described as poorly examined and potentially false cases, and questioned whether officials should face penalties for failing to conduct proper inquiries. The bench noted that the law is a special statute with serious consequences and should not be applied mechanically.
Christian leaders argue that the continued arrests show little regard for the court’s guidance. Pastor Joy Mathew, who assists Christians facing legal challenges, said police continue to register unfounded cases against religious minorities, particularly Christians and Muslims, despite judicial warnings. He added that obtaining bail under the law remains extremely difficult because of its strict provisions.
Another Christian leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said ordinary religious practices have become risky. “In Uttar Pradesh, even holding a prayer meeting or keeping a Bible can land someone in jail,” he said.
Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, enforces one of the country’s toughest anti-conversion laws. Christian leaders across the country say incidents of harassment, arrests and disruptions of worship have increased steadily over the past decade.
Adapted from UCA News.
