Three people, including an American national, have been arrested in Bhiwandi in the Thane district of Maharashtra for converting local Hindus into Christianity. The arrests were made on Friday (3rd October).
According to the media reports, the accused have been identified as Sainath Ganpati Sarpe (42), a resident of Vasai; James Watson (58), an American citizen currently staying in Thane’s Hiranandani Estate; and Manoj Govind Kolha (35), who lives in Bhuishet, Chimbipada.
Police said Watson, who had come to India on a business visa, was found organising a religious gathering without official permission.
The matter came to light after Ravindra Bhurkut (27) filed a complaint at the Bhiwandi Taluka Police Station. Bhurkut said that around 11:30 a.m. on Friday, he saw a group of people preaching Christianity to about 30–35 villagers outside Manoj Kolha’s house.
In his complaint, he said the group was making derogatory remarks about Hinduism, calling it a religion based on blind faith, and telling people that they could find happiness and success only by converting to Christianity.
The complainant also stated that the accused told people that prayers to Jesus Christ could cure illnesses. They also asked whether any underage girls were sick and wrote down the names of four girls. Before leaving, they reportedly placed their hands on the girls’ foreheads and claimed to have healed them with “divine powers.”
Police Inspector of Bhiwandi taluka, Harshwardhan Barve, said, “We have booked the three accused under Sections 299 and 302 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, provisions of the Foreigners Act (for misusing visa norms), and the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013.”
