Two held for role in forcing nuns off train

The two held have been identified as Anchal Arjariya and Purgesh Amariya. Arjariya's social media profile describes him as an office-bearer of VHP and Hindu Jagran Manch, and a member of the Gau Raksha Samiti.

Kerala nuns attack, Jhansi nuns attack bajrang dal, Nuns attacked in UP, Bajrang Dal Kerala Nuns, Nuns Bajrang dal video, Indian express

Two nuns and two postulants of the Sacred Hearts Congregation of Delhi Province were forced to get off a train by the Railway police. (Video screengrab)

Two persons have been detained for their alleged role in the March 19 incident at the Jhansi railway station, where four Christian women, including two nuns, were verbally harassed and forced off a train after being falsely accused of engaging in forced religious conversion.

The two held have been identified as Anchal Arjariya and Purgesh Amariya. Arjariya’s social media profile describes him as an office-bearer of VHP and Hindu Jagran Manch, and a member of the Gau Raksha Samiti.

Jhansi District Magistrate Andra Vamsi said that a case has been lodged at the GRP police station in Jhansi. “The two persons were held under CrPC provisions for breach of peace. The two persons were detained based on video evidence against them in connection with the March 19 incident,” said the DM.

The DM said that “the District Administration and police took stringent action against those involved… (and) proceedings against others involved are in the pipeline”. Jhansi GRP SHO, Sunil Kumar Singh, said the two “have been brought for questioning”. He said they were not travelling on the train with the nuns but played a role in the incident.

Also Read | Piyush Goyal’s remarks on nuns ‘shameful’, says Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan

The incident was brought to light in a video that showed the women being questioned by ABVP men and Railway security personnel, and asked to get off the train.

Following the video, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said during a poll rally in Kerala, from where the nuns are, that the culprits “will be brought to justice”.

The incident also prompted Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala’s Left government, to send a letter to Shah demanding action against “all groups and individuals who disrupt and impair the freedom of individual rights guaranteed by the Constitution”.

Story continues below this ad

According to officials, the two nuns and two 19-year-old postulants — those seeking admission to a religious order — of the Sacred Hearts Congregation of Delhi Province had boarded the Haridwar-Puri Kalinga Utkal Express in the national capital on March 19 but were forced to get off at Jhansi at 8 pm.

Congregation authorities said the postulants were returning home to Rourkela accompanied by the nuns after finishing their course in Delhi. Once their identities were confirmed, they were allowed to proceed the next day.

Railway officials said the nuns were asked to get off the train based on a written complaint from Ajay Shankar Tewari, a resident of Jhansi, and another co-passenger.

According to Tewari’s complaint, he was not travelling in the same coach as the women but came across them while “passing by”. It states that he called the Railway helpline and alerted local “Hindu neta”, Anchal Arjariya, who informed the GRP and RPF in Jhansi.

Story continues below this ad

Officials said the complainants were “members of the ABVP who were returning from a training camp in Rishikesh to Jhansi”.

Asad Rehman

Asad Rehman is with the national bureau of The Indian Express and covers politics and policy focusing on religious minorities in India. A journalist for over eight years, Rehman moved to this role after covering Uttar Pradesh for five years for The Indian Express. During his time in Uttar Pradesh, he covered politics, crime, health, and human rights among other issues. He did extensive ground reports and covered the protests against the new citizenship law during which many were killed in the state. During the Covid pandemic, he did extensive ground reporting on the migration of workers from the metropolitan cities to villages in Uttar Pradesh. He has also covered some landmark litigations, including the Babri Masjid-Ram temple case and the ongoing Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute. Prior to that, he worked on The Indian Express national desk for three years where he was a copy editor. Rehman studied at La Martiniere, Lucknow and then went on to do a bachelor's degree in History from Ramjas College, Delhi University. He also has a Masters degree from the AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia. ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Tags:
UP Police