In the Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh, a case of religious conversion has come to the fore. A Muslim man has been accused of instigating Hindus in the Paragipurva village of Nighasan area to convert to Islam. The accused who has been identified as Shamsuddin claimed to be an exorcist and would conduct exorcism rituals on Thursdays at the house of a village resident named Hareram.
Reportedly, Dhruv Kumar, a resident of Paragipurva village filed a complaint against accused Shamsuddin. In his complaint, Kumar stated that Shamsuddin, a resident of Barautha, performs exorcisms every Thursday at around eight o’clock at Hareram’s residence.
The accused claimed to exorcise ghosts and treated people using the power of ‘tantra-mantra’ after gathering the people of the village there. He used to incite people to convert to Islam by claiming that other religions like Hinduism had nothing to offer.
The complainant further alleged that accused Shamsuddin has converted many people to Islam so far. He added that Shamsuddin used to extort money from people in the name of tantra-mantra, and would threaten to ruin their lives upon failing to fulfil his demands. The accused also works as a bangle seller.
The accused Shamsuddin works as a hawker selling bangles. The police took the complaint of conversion case seriously and registered a case of cheating, religious conversion against him. Acting upon the complaint, accused Shamsuddin and his associate Hareram have been arrested by the police and have been sent to jail.