On 14th December, Mirzapur Police arrested five people, including a pastor, for coercing Hindus to convert to Christianity. The arrests were made following a police raid at a church in Kharhara village under Kotwali Dehat police station limits, based on the complaint of a local farmer, Anand Dubey. In his complaint, Dubey said he was lured and coerced into converting to Christianity with promises of money, education, and medical benefits. OpIndia accessed the FIR registered in the case.
What the FIR says
The FIR has been registered on the complaint of Anand Dubey, a local farmer, under Sections 3 and 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021. In his complaint, Dubey said that pastor Bholanath Patel, a resident of Tilwa village under the Revati Pur police station area in Ghazipur district, visited his house about a week ago. During the visit, Patel offered financial benefits, free education for children, and medical facilities if Dubey and his family converted to Christianity.
On 14th December, Dubey was called to the church located in Kharhara village. When he reached the premises around 12:45 pm, he found several Hindu villagers already seated inside. He stated that there were around 35-40 villagers present and most of them were from economically weaker backgrounds.
Apart from Bholanath Patel, his wife Maya Patel, Krishna Kant Tiwari, Angnu Prasad, Nisha Devi, Sushila Devi, Heera Vati Devi, Renu, Lakshmi, Sadhana and several other women were urging the Hindus present at the church to convert to Christianity.
They promised money, healthcare, and assistance in children’s education and marriages in exchange for conversion. Pastor Patel told those present that they would be taken into the “shelter of Lord Jesus”, their suffering would end, and those refusing to convert would face misfortune.
Dubey further added that the accused poured holy water on him and told him that he was no longer Anand Dubey but “Joseph Anand”. When attempts were made to take him for a “holy dip” ritual to complete the conversion, he managed to escape and informed the police.
Police action and other details
Following the complaint, the police registered an FIR and swung into action. The church was raided at night, and five accused were arrested on the spot. Eleven people have been named in the case.
In a statement, Kotwali Dehat Station House Officer Amit Mishra said that intelligence inputs indicated preparations for large scale religious conversions at the church on 25th December. Based on the complaint, the police conducted the raid and detained the suspects involved. Further investigation in the matter is underway.
Allegations of long running conversion network at Kharhara church
The allegations against the Kharhara village church are not recent. Local residents said that religious conversions have been taking place at the church since late 2023. Several villagers are said to have converted during this period, with many reportedly changing their names from Hindu names to Christian ones. Although the church appears old from the outside, villagers say it is well furnished inside and regularly draws people from nearby villages such as Kurkuthiya, Barhauli, Ledhu and Jasohar Pahadi.
Residents said that individuals facing illness or financial distress are specifically targeted. According to villagers, the conversion network exploits desperation by offering prayers alongside assurances of money, treatment and support, gradually pressuring people into conversion.
Villager recalls inducement, name change and coercion
Speaking to OpIndia Hindi on condition of anonymity, a villager said his daughter in law required surgery costing around Rs 50,000. He claimed that the pastor assured him that Jesus would heal her if the family attended prayers. During the visit, holy water was sprinkled, their names were changed, and money was handed over.
The villager said that although financial help was initially given, the family later realised they had been deceived. He further claimed they were warned against reverting, as photographs and videos taken during the conversion were used to pressure them.
Pastor Bholanath Patel ran the conversion network
Villagers said that the entire conversion operation in the area was coordinated by pastor Bholanath Patel. Originally from Tilwa village under Revati Pur police station in Ghazipur district, Patel had earlier lived in Lucknow, where he worked as a teacher at a school named St Jesus School.
During police questioning, Patel reportedly narrated his own conversion story, claiming he had suffered from a severe kidney ailment in 2008 and recovered after attending Christian prayer meetings. He told police that he decided to dedicate his life to spreading Christianity thereafter.
Patel was subsequently sent to Kharhara church by a missionary office in Lucknow, where he began living with his wife Maya Patel. Villagers that Patel targeted men for conversion, while his wife focused on approaching women.
Social isolation claims and regret
Several villagers who converted earlier now claim to be facing social ostracism. One individual, who requested anonymity, said that while the initial phase brought money and employment assistance, he later felt stripped of his identity. He said villagers began taunting him, leaving him isolated within the community.
While Patel reportedly told police that no one was forced and that people approached voluntarily, villagers insist inducements played a decisive role.
Fifteen conversion cases reported in Mirzapur since 2023
Over the past two years, missionary activity in Mirzapur has reportedly triggered repeated police action. Since 2023, at least 15 cases related to illegal religious conversion have been registered in the district.
Of these, 11 cases involved young women being lured away, converted, and married, while four cases were linked to larger organised conversion networks. Police records show arrests in multiple police station areas including Vindhyachal, Ahraura and Lalganj, with a recurring pattern of inducements such as money, jobs and education.
