Kanpur
The Kanpur police arrested two individuals after intercepting two buses carrying over 110 people from Nawabganj to nearby Unnao for religious conversions on Sunday, according to officials. This incident has led to the uncovering of a suspected syndicate involved in religious conversions. Mahesh Kumar, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in Colonelganj, stated that the arrested individuals allegedly targeted poor and Dalit communities, forcing them to change their religion in exchange for money. The police initiated FIRs for attempted religious conversion based on the examination of passenger documents.
Acting on a tip-off, the police erected barricades at Ganga barrage and began inspections. Two buses were stopped, leading to the discovery that individuals from various areas, including Nawabganj and Armapore Kohna, were being transported to a church in Unnao for alleged mass religious conversion. A complaint was lodged by Sanjay Valmiki, a resident of Armapore, against Simon William and Deepak Morris, accusing them of coercing him to convert to Christianity with promises of family reunification, monetary incentives, employment, and medical care.
Based on Sanjay’s complaint, FIRs were filed against Simon William and Deepak Morris under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act 2021. Both are currently in police custody and undergoing questioning.
