Cleric held for converting boy to Islam in Uttar Pradesh

The cleric confessed before police that he used to show videos of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik to gullible minors

A cleric was on Sunday arrested for allegedly converting a Hindu 17-year-old boy to Islam, police said.

He has been identified as Abdul Rehman, a cleric at a mosque in Sanjay Nagar here, Deputy Commissioner of Police Nipun Agarwal said.

He said the accused came in contact with the boy through a popular online gaming platform and enticed him towards adopting Islam.

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A man filed a complaint with the police against the cleric and one Baddo, a Mumbai resident, for allegedly converting his son to Islam. Subsequently, a case was registered under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act at Kavinagar police station on May 30 and investigation was initiated, Agarwal said.

"The cleric was arrested following investigation into his role in the matter. A team has also been sent to Mumbai to arrest the other accused," he said.

The cleric confessed before the police that he used to show videos of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik to gullible minors, the DCP aid, adding the police is also investing his role in an alleged conversion of a Jain minor boy of the area.