Palghar: Police have registered an FIR against 22 women in connection with an alleged attempt to promote religious conversion and outrage religious sentiments in Wakadpada village of Palghar district. The incident reportedly took place on August 21, with police stating that no arrests had been made so far as the investigation continues.
According to Assistant Police Inspector Ajit Sable of Mokhada police station, the case has been registered under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), relating to deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings, along with Section 3(5), which deals with acts carried out with common intention.
Police identified Satyavati Balkrishna Kunche, 46, of Ulhasnagar in Thane district, and local resident Kusum Shivram Kambdi as the two primary suspects. The complaint was filed by an 18-year-old student, who alleged that a group of women visited his home and offered him copies of the New Testament, reportedly claiming that reading the religious texts could cure illnesses and protect him from diseases.
The complainant allegedly refused the literature, following which Kunche is accused of making disparaging remarks about Hindu deities and beliefs and urging him to embrace Christianity. The incident was subsequently brought to the attention of local villagers, who reportedly intercepted the group.
Preliminary police inquiries indicate that the women had travelled from Hyderabad through contacts established by Kambdi. Police said a detailed investigation is underway to establish the circumstances and verify the allegations.
