Uttar Pradesh Police arrested a Christian priest named Shyam Sundar in the Etawah district on Saturday afternoon for carrying out illegal religious conversions in an illegal manner under the anti-illegal conversion law of Uttar Pradesh.
“FIR has been booked under section 3/5 (1) of UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act at Bakewar police station of Etawah district. There was a complaint against him that he is involved in religious conversion through illegal manner. Some documents have been recovered from his possession which is being examined. He will be shortly forwarded to judicial custody,” an official of Etawah police told Opindia.
Police said that the accused is a native of Melath Kunatha village under Bakewar. But for the past three years, he has been staying at a rented house at the Lakhana locality.
“The case is being investigated to ascertain allegations and who else is associated with him,” said the official.
Police acted on the basis of the complaint lodged by a local resident Dhiraj Tiwari, who had alleged that 55 years old Shyam Sundar, who is a converted Christian, is indulged in conversion activities.
According to reports published in Amar Ujala, there is a church at Nagla Milak village where he conducts prayers. But during initial questioning, he had refuted allegations. He said that he said that only conducts prayer and he is not involved in conversion activities. At present the cops are questioning him and investigating the allegations against him.