Karnataka: FIR against Hindu outfit members for threatening nurses over ‘conversion’

Members of a pro-Hindu outfit in Karnataka allegedly barged into the residential quarters of two government hospital nurses, threatened them, and then lodged a police complaint against them, accusing them of converting Hindus into Christians in lieu of money.

The incident, reported from Ratkal village in North Karnataka’s Kalaburagi district, some 570 km from Bengaluru, took place on February 22 but came to light on February 25. The members of the local right-wing outfit named Hindu Jagrithi Sena lodged a complaint at Ratkal police station against the nurses, Ashwini and Rubika, that night.

‘Conversion’ charge

They even mentioned in their complaint that they had entered the nurses’ quarters and “questioned” them. They claimed the two nurses were trying to convert Hindus into Christians by tempting them with money and preaching about Christianity in the hospital quarters.

Ratkal police visited the hospital quarters late in the night and apparently found the nurses praying with a Christian priest. “There was nothing to suggest any conversions had taken place,” a senior officer told The Federal.

Nurses’ complaint

The next morning, the nurse named Ashwini lodged a complaint against Hindu Jagruthi Sena president Shankar Choka, Basavaraj, Vishnu, and others, saying they had made false accusations about conversion. Ashwini alleged that 10-15 people broke into her house at night and made a false video purportedly showing that they had stopped a “conversion” and circulated it on social media.

Ashwini further alleged that the men entered her place of worship in the house wearing slippers, threatened her and abused her with casteist slurs, and told her to place Amba Bhavani’s photo in the altar for worship instead of Christian symbols. “They threatened that if we lodge a police complaint against them, they will get us sacked from our jobs and kill us,” she complained.

Police probe

Hindu Jagriti Sena members have been targeting the Congress government in Karnataka and alleging that Hindu activists are being “victimised” in the state. Raju Bojannavar, a member, claimed that no FIR was filed based on their complaint against the nurses.

However, the police are investigating both cases, said Inspector K Chandrashekhar of the police station. He confirmed to The Federal that they have registered an FIR against the Hindu Jagruthi Sena members based on the nurses’ complaint. No arrests have been made yet, he said.