A Pentecostal pastor had to be rescued after a group of Right-wing activists surrounded the Julwania police station in Barwani district where he had been brought on the charge of converting local villagers on Thursday.
A prayer meeting was on when VHP and Bajrang Dal activists allegedly reached the house of one Idaram near Badwa Falia and raised slogans and hurled insults.
Pastor Lal Singh, who was leading the prayers, and Idaram were brought to the police station after the right-wing group accused them of converting locals by inducement.
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“The VHP and Bajrang Dal workers were agitated and would have harmed the pastor had I released him,’’ Head Constable Rameshwar Pande said.
Pande took the duo in a police vehicle to the Rajpur police station, about 12 km away. Rajpur police station in-charge Asharam Varma said the charge of conversion was found to be false and the duo was allowed to go. He said no complaint was lodged against anybody.
Former member of state minorities’ commission, Indira Iyengar, said that such harassment of Christians in tribal areas was common as right-wing groups often complained against prayer meets alleging conversion.