At the Ranjhi police station, tensions flared as some right-wing activists confronted two individuals who arrived to meet the passengers, accusing them of orchestrating the alleged conversions.
A prominent Christian leader and educator was assaulted in full police presence by members of a right-wing group after a passenger bus carrying some 50 Adivasis from Maharajpur in Mandla was intercepted Sunday in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur district. This comes amid allegations of forced religious conversions.
Police have identified the victim as Father George Davis, the founder of St. Aloysius Institute of Technology (SAIT) in Jabalpur.
According to a senior officer, the right-wing group “stopped the bus at Bhanwartal Park and escorted it to the Ranjhi police station, where the situation escalated into a confrontation involving members of the Christian community and police intervention”.
The driver allegedly fled but was eventually apprehended in Ranjhi following a chase. According to the police, those on board were eventually found to be associated with a local church at Maharajpur, Mandla, and were traveling for a pilgrimage ahead of Easter. They have now been taken into custody for questioning, police said.
A senior Vishva Hindu Parishad leader told The Indian Express that the organisation “acted on information received at 8:30 am, alleging that the passengers’ tribal identity on official documents contradicted claims of their Christian affiliation.”
At the Ranjhi police station, tensions flared as some right-wing activists confronted two individuals who arrived to meet the passengers, accusing them of orchestrating the alleged conversions. The situation allegedly deteriorated when members of right-wing organisations reportedly assaulted Father Davis George and other Christian community members who had gathered at the station after learning of the incident.
Police intervened, taking Father Davis George inside the station for safety, police sources said. A video circulating online has since surfaced, purportedly showing the assault.
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Ranjhi SHO Manas Dwivedi told The Indian Express: “the activists did not know who the father was. They were just angry over the allegations and assaulted him. We conducted his medical examination on Wednesday and also took his statement. An FIR will soon be filed in this case”.
Dwivedi clarified that the passengers, all residents of Maharajpur, Mandla, were scheduled to visit churches in Bhanwartal Garden, Ranjhi, and Sadar before returning home.
“As far as religious conversion allegations go there is a parallel investigation underway in Mandla,” Dwivedi said.
Meanwhile, Davis claimed that the church had faced threats before, adding that he was “only trying to help stranded people”.
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“We must uphold the rule of law, not lawlessness. If vigilante groups are allowed to take charge, what is the need for police? This “might is right” mentality has become the norm, and it’s unacceptable. Someone must restore law and order in this country,” he told The Indian Express.
Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy.
Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free.
Expertise and Reporting Beats
Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors:
National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres.
Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA).
Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking.
Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers.
Professional Background
Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017.
Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh.
Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs.
Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife.
Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance.
Digital & Professional Presence
Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express
Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More
