Indore news: Hanuman Chalisa Torn at Church; Religious Conversion Alleged

Religious tensions have arisen again over conversions in Hira Nagar, Indore. This time, an individual allegedly tore up Hanuman Chalisa in a local church on Thursday. It is the second such complaint within a span of just five days.

Later that day, the police took immediate action by filing cases against several individuals. The complainant, Rajkumar Sen, stated that he was near his home at around 7 a.m. when three auto-rickshaws carrying approximately 10 to 12 people arrived. They inquired about the location of a church.

On being questioned about the reason for the church visit, they claimed to be interested in learning sewing there. This raised suspicion among the locals. Sen informed his neighbours about these individuals. They together went to the church to find out. They encountered vehicles with registration numbers from other districts.

Among those present at the church was Michael Mathew, who was holding a Hanuman Chalisa. Matthew, along with others, began instructing people about the Christian faith. This led to a confrontation, with individuals like Jomen Joseph, Abhishek Nethram, Rekha, Sam Joseph, and Bezoobi trying to expel Sen and his group from the church.

During this altercation, both sides exchanged arguments, and the individuals from the church claimed the superiority of their Bible. They also persuaded the locals to convert to Christianity.

It’s essential to note that a similar incident had occurred just five days earlier in nearby Aakash Nagar, where tensions arose during a prayer meeting. In that case, the police intervened and mentioned that it was a dispute over a prayer meeting.

Furthermore, a few days before this incident, there were reports of individuals from Hindu organisations apprehending men and women with religious books in Hira Nagar. The matter was investigated by the police, but the individuals were later released.