UP police bust conversion racket, arrest 4 from Kerala
Police said the accused targeted economically weaker and uneducated people and kept in contact with them through prayer meetings and social media
Uttar Pradesh police have busted an alleged religious conversion racket in Sitapur and arrested four people from Kerala on charges of luring people from economically weaker and Scheduled Caste communities for conversion, a senior police officer said on Tuesday (June 9).
Police said the racket that was operating under the banner of the "Central UP Mission Network" was unearthed in the Misrikh police station area on Monday, following an investigation by local police.
Accused targeted the poor: police
The accused were identified as Suresh Chandra, Kamlesh Kumar, Shravan Kumar and Arun Ashudashan, all residents of Kerala, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Durgesh Singh said.
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During interrogation, the accused told police that they had been associated with the "Central UP Mission" and used to visit different localities to distribute religious literature among economically weaker and uneducated people, Singh said.
"The accused were connected through a WhatsApp group of the organisation and were actively involved in its activities," the ASP told reporters.
According to the police, the investigation revealed that regular prayer meetings were allegedly organised at various locations and contact with people was also maintained through social media platforms.
Religious materials seized
Police have recovered 529 religious books, 151 pamphlets and four smartphones from them, Singh said.
A case has been registered at Misrikh police station under relevant provisions of the BNS and the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, he added.
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"The recovered mobile phones have been sealed for technical examination. Preliminary scrutiny indicates evidence related to a WhatsApp group and certain suspicious financial transactions, which are being investigated," Singh said.
Police said further investigation is underway to ascertain the network's activities, identify other persons linked to the organisation and probe the financial trail connected to the alleged conversion racket.
(With inputs from agencies)