At the behest of Meerut Bajrang Dal activists, police have arrested a Methodist church pastor for trying to convert 16 people to Christianity in village Mulehera of Sardhana Tehsil on Monday.
On a tip-off, the Bajrang Dal activists caught the pastor, allegedly thrashed him arrested up and handed over to the police as he was reportedly trying to convert 16 people to Christianity on Monday. The pastor has been sent to jail.
“The investigation is ongoing and we have recovered affidavits of 16 people from the possession of Deependra Prakash, the pastor,” said SP (Rural) Rajesh Kumar, adding that he has been booked on charges of conversion and committing fraud. The SP further said that the conversion was averted as they arrested the pastor, else he could be successful in his bid.
Deependra has been serving in the church. He arrived at the chamber of advocate Sanjeev Panwar, who is former general secretary of Sardhana Bar Association, and presented to him 16 affidavits to certify through Notary.
Local Bajrang Dal leaders heard it as the news got leaked by someone. Then the Dal activists led by Vibhag Sanyojak, convenor, rushed to the lawyer’s chamber where they caught hold of the pastor. When examined, they found that the affidavits were related to religious conversion. After that the angry Dal activists allegedly thrashed the pastor and informed the police.
Both the pastor and the lawyer were taken into custody by the police. The lawyer was charged for certifying the affidavits in absence of the concerned persons.
However, when a group of lawyers protested the custody of their colleague, the police let him go after issuing a warning but Deependra is booked on charges of fraud.