Five women among nine held for bid to convert family to Christianity in Chhattisgarh

Durg: Police have arrested nine persons, including five women, for allegedly trying to convert members of a family to Christianity in Durg district of Chhattisgarh, officials said on Friday.

The accused were identified as pastor Mamta Kumari Dixit (50), Sapan Deep (42), her son Shubham (24), Rajesh Patel (35), his wife Madhu Tandi (35), Neeta Baghel (40), her daughter Devanti (21), Bini Tandi (30) and Ribeiro Willaims (36), an official said.

The incident took place in a house located near Raipur-Durg check-post under the Padmanabhpur police station limits and a complaint in this connection was lodged by a local resident, he said.

"As per the complaint, the accused persons conducted a healing service meeting on Thursday night at the residence of Madhu Tandi, where they allegedly tried to convert her family to Christianity," he said.

One of the local residents filed a complaint with the police after the incident came to their notice, he added.

Subsequently, a police team reached the spot for investigation following which a case was registered, he said.

They were nabbed under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) section 299 (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and section 4 of the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act, the official said.