Three Arrested in Uttar Pradesh for Forced Conversions

Three believers thrown in jail this week, accused of forcibly converting Hindus to Christianity.

Ten police officers interrupted a Sunday morning worship service and demanded personal information from Pastor Kalpanath, including his denominational affiliation, bank account transactions, and personal identification numbers.

Pastor Kalpanath and two congregants were taken into custody and interrogated for four hours. Police were trying to determine if the men were involved with conversion activities that violated India’s laws – laws that are disproportionately used to target Christians over other religious minorities.

After spending two days in prison being interrogated for crimes they did not commit, the three men were finally released on bail and asked to pay exorbitant fines.

According to a local church leader who requested anonymity, “Ninety percent of all churches in my region are shut down as a result of this crackdown on churches by radical Hindu nationalists. Christians here are facing some of the worst times in the history of Independent India, and in the next couple of years, Christians may not be permitted to have gatherings due to intense persecution and physical attacks.”