Uttrakhand Police registered an FIR against seven Christians at Purola police station for organising an unlawful mass conversion event on 23 December at Devdhung in the Uttarkashi district.

“Cases have been registered at the Purola police station against people associated with a missionary organisation called Asha Aur Jivan Kendra as well as five villagers,” Purola Station House Officer (SHO) Komal Singh Rawat said.

“FIRs have been registered against the people associated with the organisation under different sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 153(a) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace),” the SHO further said.

Local Hindus and members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) held a demonstration at the Sub Divisional Magistrate’s (SDM) office, stating that Christian missionaries are converting people from Nepal coming to Uttarkashi for work by offering them allurements.

They also submitted a memorandum addressed to Governor Gurmit Singh, demanding action against the illegal conversion activities in the State.

On Friday morning, Pastor Lazarus Cornelius and his wife Sushma Cornelius reached Chibala village, which is located within the Purola block. After learning about the organisers’ conversion activity, the local Hindus along with members of the VHP arrived at the scene. They recovered the Bible and other items from the event. According to them, the couple was alluring people from Nepal who arrived in Uttarkashi for work. The local Hindus met with stiff resistance from the organisers who prevented them from gathering further information. The Christian organisers started hurling abuses at the Hindus. They attacked them subsequently with sticks injuring two from the Hindu side.

“Villagers have complained of collective conversion at a programme in the area. We have information that there was also a minor clash between the villagers and the programme’s organisers. The matter is being investigated,” SDM, Purola, Jitendra Kumar said.

However, a cross FIR was also registered against five-six Hindus on the complaint of Pastor Lazarus Cornelius.

“We have booked them under Sections 153-A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 504 (Insult intended to provoke breach of the peace), 427 (mischief and thereby causes loss or damage to the amount of fifty rupees or more) and 506 (criminal intimidation),” the SHO K S Rawat said.