After Christian 'conversion attempt', cops asked to keep watch on prayer meetings

Shahjahanpur (UP): Police here have been asked to keep a watch on prayer meetings after five people were booked for allegedly trying to unlawfully convert people to Christianity.

The instructions to police stations appear to have been issued after this case in which Vishwa Hindu Parishad workers brought the five men to police.

Shahjahanpur Superintendent of Police S Anand, however, did not specify Christian prayer meetings and also referred to two other cases in which the accused are Muslims.

"After the registration of three cases on religious conversion in the district, instrctions have been issued to police stations to keep themselves aware of prayer meetings in their jurisdictions, and act strictly when they are completely sure that conversion is taking place in the garb of prayer, he said on Tuesday. Anand said a watch should be kept on people who indulge in religious conversion and action taken when there is complete evidence.

He said local VHP leader Rajesh Awasthi and his workers handed over to police the five people who were part of a prayer meeting organised by a Christian outfit called Swarg ka Shubh Samachar'.

Awasthi alleged that the outfit was indulging in religious conversion through allurement.

The accused included two Tamil Nadu men David and Jagan. The three others are local residents Ajay Kumar, Rajat Kumar and Shirish Gupta. The five men were let off after furnishing personal surety, the

SP said.