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The Jammu and Kashmir Police have registered a case against a group of unidentified Christian missionaries in Kathua district for allegedly engaging in religious conversion activities. The action follows complaints from residents of Juthana village, who claimed that the missionaries were persuading locals to convert to Christianity by offering financial assistance and other benefits. An FIR was lodged at Rajbagh police station under different sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita including section 299, which deals with deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings by insulting a religion or religious beliefs, and section 351(2) that criminalises acts of intimidation. This comes just days after a separate incident in which a group of Christian missionaries was attacked by villagers in the same district. Police, however, have not confirmed whether the two groups are connected. No arrests have been made so far. Officials said the case was filed after Kathua SSP Mohita Sharma directed a detailed investigation and strict action. Earlier, an FIR was lodged against several locals for allegedly assaulting the missionaries on Thursday afternoon. According to police, the confrontation occurred when the missionaries’ van was stopped by villagers, who vandalised the vehicle with sticks. A police team from Rajbagh station intervened to control the situation. A video of the attack that later surfaced on social media appeared to show some police officers standing by during the incident but were “unable to immediately stop the attackers”, prompting the suspension of eight personnel, including a sub-inspector. Police also arrested an accused in connection with the incident, an official said on Friday. The main accused, Ravindra Singh Thela, and his associates have several prior criminal cases against them, the official added. Earlier on Sunday, activists of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) staged a protest over alleged religious conversion in Kathua district. The activists demanded action against the Christian missionaries allegedly involved in converting people in remote villages.
