4 Brazilian nationals booked for alleged mass conversion in Sitapur
20 Dec 2022 11:29:07
Sitapur, Dec 20: Four Brazilian nationals, including a woman, have been booked along with a 28-year-old local pastor and his wife for allegedly trying to convince people to convert to Christianity in the Sitapur district.
While police have arrested the pastor, David Asthana, under the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, they have kept the four Brazilian nationals in their Lucknow hotel and are probing their roles.
According to police, they received information on Sunday that a group of people was protesting against a pastor and his associates at Shahbazpur village of the district, accusing them of trying to lure people to adopt Christianity. A police team reached the spot and rescued the pastor and his associates, including the four Brazilian nationals. The four Brazilian nationals had come to India around two months ago on a tourist visa, said a police officer. They have been sent to their hotel in Lucknow where they will be staying under police security, said the officer, adding that they have informed officials in the Brazilian Embassy in Delhi. Additional Superintendent of Police (Sitapur) Narendra Pratap Singh said: “David has been arrested in the case. We are looking into the role of those four Brazilians in the case… The district Superintendent of Police has written a letter to Foreigner Regional Registration Office in Lucknow, recommending deportation of the four Brazilians to their country.” Sources said that recommendation for deportation was made after it was found during a preliminary inquiry that the four Brazilians had violated visa norms by participating in a congregation allegedly involved in illegal conversion. Station House Officer (Sadarpur) Pradeep Kumar said that so far no one has come forward to claim that he was converted by the accused. According to police, David, who hails from Jaunpur district and has been living in Lucknow for some time, used to regularly visit Shahbazpur village and meet residents there.
He had also purchased a piece of land in the village around four years ago and constructed a big hall. The residents of the village alleged that David used to visit the village every Sunday and hold meetings where he distributed medicines and other items. On Sunday afternoon, when David was holding a meeting with a group of people inside the hall, villagers started protesting and accused the pastor of illegal conversion.