Pastor attacked by mob for allegedly carrying out forced conversions

A group of 30 men armed with sticks launched an attack at an afternoon prayer at Uttarakhand’s Purola village alleging that forced conversations were being carried out there.

As per a report in NDTV, six people were detained, including Pastor Lazarus Cornelius and his wife Sushma Cornelius. The pastor who belongs to Union Church, Mussoorie was leading the prayers when he and his wife were charged at by locals who claimed to be a part of Hindu organisation.

The police have now released the pastor and all the others citing that the issue has been resolved.

According to the locals this was not the first time such an incident occurded. Religious minorities such as Muslims and Christians have faced similar attacks in the past as well.

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This incident comes after Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Gurmit Singh gave his assent to the Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2022, making unlawful conversions a cognizable and non-bailable offence punishable with a prison term of up to 10 years.

The bill was passed by the state assembly on November 30 this year and the governor gave his assent to the legislation earlier this week. With the governor's sanction to the bill it has become an act paving the way for stricter punishment to offenders in such cases, they said.

Apart from a maximum imprisonment of up to ten years, persons indulging in forceful and unlawful conversion in Uttarakhand will now be slapped with a fine of at least Rs 50,000.

(With PTI inputs)