Garhwal Post Bureau
DEHRADUN, 13 May: The district administration in Udham Singh Nagar has taken a tough stance on alleged religious conversion and unauthorised prayer gatherings in Gadarpur tehsil. Acting on the complaints in this regard, the officials inspected the site in Budhiya Colony, Majra Sheela, Ramjivanpur, and pasted a notice on the building where the prayers were allegedly held on a regular basis and where allegedly, conversion attempts were being made. The administration has launched statutory proceedings in the case. The local residents accused the organisers of luring and coercing the people into changing their faith, prompting the administration and police to launch a detailed investigation.
The officials found during their inspection that Surendra Sagar had allegedly constructed a prayer hall illegally on residential land. The inspection, carried out in the presence of Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Kaustubh Mishra, drew a large crowd of locals who demanded strict action. The administration has directed the SDM Gadarpur to proceed against Sagar and his associates as per the anti conversion law, and also begin the process for vesting the disputed land in the state government.
Mishra confirmed that a notice has been pasted on the building and statutory proceedings have begun. He claimed that the administration remains vigilant regarding conversion-related cases and is monitoring activities closely with police support.
It may be recalled that Uttarakhand in general and district Udham Singh Nagar in particular has witnessed several similar cases earlier, where the police have registered FIRs and is pursuing legal action. A detailed investigation is underway, and further legal measures will follow once the inquiry report is submitted.
