UP Couple Arrested For Forcing 25 People To Convert, Case Filed: Police

Police arrested a couple here for allegedly enticing the deprived people of the society to adopt Christianity, an official said on Tuesday.

The couple was arrested from their residence in this Uttar Pradesh district following a complaint by two residents of Kanawani village.

They were luring poor people to convert for the last two-and-half decades and had also taken a big hall for prayers, complainants Praveen Nagar and Shiv Kumar stated in their FIR.

ACP Indirapuram Swatantra Singh said the duo was enticing the deprived people of the society to adopt Christianity. They have been identified as Santosh John Abrahim and his wife.

During interrogation, Abrahim told police that he works as a priest at Sharon Fellowship Church of Kerala and is living here since 1996. He also confessed to brainwashing the backward Hindus, adding that every member of the Church was given a target to persuade 20 persons for adopting Christianity, police said.

Over two dozen persons were contacted for conversion, Singh said, adding that they are also trying to find the exact amount the couple was paid in exchange for these conversions.

Some bank transactions have been observed, which shows that the couple got financial help for the publicity of their religion, he said.

A case was registered against them on Sunday under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, the ACP said, adding juveniles were also attending their prayers.

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