Conversion row: Cops arrest Egyptian engineer on ship

Police have arrested an Egyptian engineer,Karim Rehman,sailing in Kuwaiti flagship vessel Al-Mir-Qab after he was found distributing a 12-page pamphlet 8220;inviting people practising Hinduism to a better religion called Islam8221;. He has been booked under Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code for deliberate and malicious intention of outraging religious feelings.

The vessel,registered with United Arab Shipping Corporation,had travelled from Karachi and had been docked at JTI bandar at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust JNPT since Thursday morning. It was being steered by a Pakistani captain,Sayed Hader. The incident,according to senior police officers,is the first reported instance in India where a vessel travelling in international waters has been used for religious propaganda.

The police started questioning the crew of the vessel around 3 pm on Thursday,after officers at JNPT jetty found labourers who had access to the vessel with the 8220;inciting material8221;. During initial probe,the engineer feigned ignorance of the material and maintained that he had distributed some material found in his cabin cupboard on Wednesday.

Senior police officers said Rehman was a student of an Islamic seminary in Egypt,which stressed on concepts of religion conversion. 8220;He finally confessed to have with him more such material. He has given us similar material written in Urdu,English and some other language,8221; Deputy Commissioner of Police P Karad said.