Maihar: A shocking case of alleged forced religious conversion has rocked the holy city of Maihar in Madhya Pradesh. Around 50 Hindu women were reportedly gathered inside a closed room and coerced to renounce their faith and adopt Christianity. The incident has triggered massive outrage among locals and Hindu organizations, leading to protests and swift police action.
According to a written complaint lodged by 32-year-old Jyoti Ahirwar, a resident of Maihar, the incident took place on Sunday morning at the residence of Laxmi Sharma in Harnampur. Jyoti stated that she was invited there through another woman, Savita Vishwakarma. When she arrived, she found nearly 50 women and girls already assembled. The accused allegedly instructed them to remove all Hindu symbols, including bindi, sindoor (vermilion), and bangles, claiming that these were against their “new faith.”
The women were then reportedly told to wash their hair in a tank of water, symbolizing purification, and were made to repeat prayers dedicated to Jesus Christ and the Heavenly Father. “From today, we will pray to Jesus Christ,” one of the accused allegedly declared, urging the women to abandon their old religious practices.
When Jyoti and a few others resisted, the accused allegedly offered them money and the promise of new houses if they agreed to convert. Upon continued refusal, some women were reportedly assaulted and threatened. The commotion drew the attention of nearby residents, who rushed to the spot and intervened, preventing further violence. The locals then alerted the police, leading to the immediate detention of those involved.
Following the complaint, Maihar police arrested five accused persons, including two women, and recovered Christian religious symbols such as a cross from their possession. CSP Mahendra Singh Chauhan confirmed the arrests, stating that the accused have been booked under Sections 3 and 5 of the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2021, along with relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Police are now probing whether this was part of a larger organized conversion campaign or an isolated incident.
The incident sparked strong protests from members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, who reached the location and demanded strict punishment for the accused. VHP leader Mahesh Tiwari claimed that such activities have been going on for months and vowed to launch protests if authorities fail to curb them.
Police have tightened security in the area and are continuing their investigation to identify others who might be linked to the alleged conversion network.
