A conversion racket was busted in Lucknow. The Nigohan police arrested a man accused of converting more than 50 Hindus in Baktauri Kheda village of the Nigohan area by luring them with promises of miraculous cures and financial support.
The accused has been identified as Malkhan, alias Matthew. He was targeting uneducated families belonging to the SC community and luring them to convert to Christianity.
Healing sessions used for conversion
Police said Malkhan had converted to Christianity about ten years ago in 2016 and changed his name to Matthew. Since then, he started conducting “healing prayer gatherings” fortnightly in a room constructed on his agricultural land.
During these events, he used to claim to heal severe diseases such as arthritis, epilepsy, and asthma by sprinkling holy water, reading from the Bible, and showing videos on a projector.
Women, children, and men were invited to the sessions under the assurance of financial support and relief from pain. Police believe he used these meetings to brainwash attendees, speak against Hindu gods, and then baptise them as Christians.
Officials said Malkhan even changed the names of his relatives after converting and used his family to further spread his activities. So far, he is believed to have converted around 50 people from nearby villages.
On Saturday (27th September), acting on inputs of illegal conversions, a police team led by ACP Mohanlalganj Rajneesh Verma arrested Malkhan from Hulas Khera Road, Lucknow.
His arrest followed weeks of surveillance. During the raid, officers also seized two copies of the Bible and other religious material used for spreading the faith.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Nipun Agarwal confirmed the arrest and said the police team involved in the operation will be rewarded with ₹25,000.
Funding under probe
Police are now investigating the source of funds used by Malkhan. ACP Verma said that after conversions, he was providing financial help to people, but it remains unclear who was backing him financially. Authorities are currently examining the bank accounts of Malkhan and his relatives to trace the funding.
FIR details
OpIndia has accessed a copy of the FIR. According to it, the complaint was filed by Dharma Sharma, a Bajrang Dal district security chief.
The FIR mentions that Malkhan, along with some associates, was gathering people in large numbers on Sundays and Thursdays, luring them with false promises of miracles and money, and carrying out mass religious conversions.
The FIR was lodged under Section 173(B) of BNS and Sections 3 and 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021.
Investigations have been initiated by the police under Sub-Inspector Anuj Kumar Tiwari, and it has been ensured that Malkhan has been arrested. The local Hindu community had previously conducted protests in the area, calling for strict action to be taken against illegal conversions.
