Christian priest assaulted in police presence amid conversion claims in Madhya Pradesh, he says was ‘trying to help stranded people’

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.

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”.

“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.