Madhya Pradesh: Four booked under new anti-conversion law

Four persons have been bookedin Madhya Pradesh's Seoni district under provisions of the newlaw which penalises religious conversions through fraudulentmeans, police said on Monday.

The accused allegedly tried to lure and pressurise thecomplainant, a resident of Simaria village, to change hisfaith, Adegaon police station in-charge Ishwari Patle saidquoting the FIR.

A case has been registered against the four for tryingto pressurise and lure the complainant for religiousconversion under the new law and under provisions of theIndian Penal Code (IPC), the officer said.

The complainant stated that the four persons startedvisiting houses in the village recently on the pretext ofhelping villagers, Patle said.

''Villagers on Saturday informed the police that JoelPastor, one of the accused, and three others were organisingan assembly for religious conversion at a house in thevillage. When police reached the spot, Pastor and hisassociates fled from the spot,'' the officer said.

Further investigation is underway.

Last month, the Madhya Pradesh government promulgatedthe Freedom of Religion- 2020 ordinance which penalisesreligious conversions by the use of misrepresentation,allurement, use of threat of force, undue influence, coercionor marriage or by any other fraudulent means. It provides for10 years in jail in some cases.