Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 1 May: A case of alleged religious conversion has surfaced in Kanwali village in Dehradun which falls under Vasant Vihar Police Station. Here two women have been accused of attempting to persuade Hindu women to adopt Christianity by offering inducements. The incident, which occurred on Thursday night, came to light when the local residents reported that the accused women were moving door to door, explaining the supposed benefits of embracing Christianity and trying to lure Hindu women into conversion.
The women in question have been identified as Sitapuri, a resident of Baniyawala, and Sumitra, a resident of Kanwali village. According to the complaint registered with the Police, these women were actively engaged in promoting Christianity and allegedly offering promises of benefits to those who convert. However a local resident Deepak Kumar informed Indrajit following which members of the Veer Savarkar Sangathan reached the spot. On arrival, they found the women speaking to Hindu women about the advantages of conversion. A call was made to 112. The Police reached the location, but by then the women had already left. Later, they were traced near Vikas Mall and taken to Vasant Vihar police station.
Members of Veer Savarkar Sangathan claim that the women had also been visiting Indira Nagar in the recent past and making similar efforts to convince Hindu women to convert. The members followed the women, recorded a video of their activities and with police assistance intercepted them before bringing them to the station. Veer Savarkar Sangathan president Kuldeep Swadia later submitted a written complaint demanding strict action under the state’s anti-conversion law to prevent recurrence of such incidents. He said that local residents had been raising concerns about similar activities for some days.
Vasant Vihar Police Station in-charge Shanky Kumar confirmed that following the complaint, a case has been registered against the two women under sections 3 and 5 of the Uttarakhand Religious Freedom Act 2018, along with sections 299 and 62 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The investigation has been assigned to Sub-Inspector Vinay Prasad Bhatt, who has begun examining the matter. The Police stated that all parties would be questioned before further legal action is taken.
The incident has however sparked concern among the locals, who now demand strict enforcement of the law to ensure that such attempts at religious conversion are curbed effectively. The police, acting on the complaint and evidence provided, have assured that the matter will be investigated thoroughly and action will be taken under the zero tolerance policy towards unlawful conversion activities.
