Man booked for 'illegal' religious conversion in UP's Shravasti

Shravasti, UP: A man from the Ikauna area here has been booked for his alleged attempt at religious conversion on the pretext of faith healing, police said on Tuesday.

The accused, Harish Singh, is currently absconding.

Singh has been living in Punjab's Ludhiana for the last few years and used to visit his Bhagwanpur Bankatwa Lonpurwa village frequently, police said.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Ghanshyam Chaurasia said, "He was in the village recently and was reportedly conducting healing sessions in a hut by invoking the name of Jesus Christ and performing rituals to cure ailments. Most of the attendees were from outside the village."

Based on the videos provided by Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists, who alleged illegal religious conversion, the police conducted an inquiry, he told PTI.

Following this, a case was registered against Singh under Sections three and five of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021, Chaurasia said, adding that Singh might have fled to Punjab and a police team will be sent there.

Given Shravasti's proximity to the Nepal border, authorities are also monitoring the area to prevent his escape across the border, he added.