8 held in religious conversion case in Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh

Pratapgarh (UP): Eight people, including a woman, were arrested on Sunday in connection with a case of religious conversion, officials said.

According to Additional Superintendent of Police (West) Sanjay Rai, acting on a tip-off, a police team searched Kachha Dube Ka Purwa village under Jethwara police station limits and arrested the accused.

During the search, police recovered religious posters, a wooden cross, religious literature, and photographs of Jesus Christ, officials said.

Police took action after allegations that the accused were involved in religious conversion luring people to adopt Christianity, they said.

Those arrested were identified as Ramchandra Verma, a resident of Doodhnath, Rajendra Verma of Gehari, Ram Sanehi Saroj, Ashok Saroj, and Surendra alias Kallu Saroj (all residents of Bhaggupurwa), Mukesh Kumar Saroj of Sansaripur, and Sunil Saroj, a resident of Dhingwas.

Besides, police also arrested a woman whose identity was not disclosed, the officials said.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 3/5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021, police said.