Karnataka: Nine Individuals Charged with Coercing Religious Conversion
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Synopsis
In Mandya, Karnataka, police have filed charges against a man and eight others for allegedly coercing his wife and mother-in-law into Christianity and assaulting them. The case highlights ongoing issues of religious conversion and community tensions in the region.
Key Takeaways
- FIR registered against Srikanth and eight others.
- Allegations of coercion for religious conversion.
- Victims include Laxmi and her mother, Shruthi.
- Claims of money used for church construction.
- Long-standing issues of forced conversions in Palahalli.
Mandya (Karnataka), April 13 (NationPress) The Karnataka Police have filed an FIR against a man and eight accomplices for allegedly coercing his wife and mother-in-law into converting to Christianity and attacking them with an iron rod.
The incident was reported on Sunday in Palahalli village, located near Srirangapatna town in the Mandya district. The FIR was lodged by the Pattana police, who have initiated an investigation into the matter.
The FIR identifies a man named Srikanth along with eight of his relatives as the perpetrators. The victims are Laxmi, Srikanth's wife, and her mother, Shruthi. The complaint was filed by Ravikiran, Laxmi's brother.
In his report, Ravikiran mentioned that his sister Laxmi faced torture for declining to convert to Christianity.
He further claimed that the accused husband pressured her to extract money from her parents.
Hoping for a better life for Laxmi, her family collected Rs 25 lakh and handed it to the accused. However, the complaint alleges that the accused used the funds to construct a church and facilitate religious conversions.
In a statement to the media, Shruthi asserted that her daughter was prohibited from wearing a bindi or worshipping Hindu deities. She claimed that religious conversions have been occurring in the Palahalli area for over a decade.
“Vokkaliga, Vishwakarma, Marathi, and various other communities are being converted. They prey on vulnerable individuals and entice them into Christianity with monetary incentives. They receive funding from undisclosed sources, and those who convert are rewarded with significant sums,” she alleged.
She further contended that the entire village has converted to Christianity. “On paper, they claim to be Hindus to secure government benefits, but socially, they identify as Christians,” Shruthi added.
“They summoned me and my daughter for a settlement and then assaulted us,” she alleged.
The family recounted that Laxmi and Srikanth were wed 15 years ago, and initially, everything seemed fine. However, a few years later, Srikanth's family embraced Christianity.
Despite the whole family converting, Laxmi remained steadfast in her faith, declaring her devotion to Goddess Chamundeshwari and refusing to convert to Christianity.
Since that point, her husband's family purportedly began their harassment, leading to Laxmi returning to her parents’ home four months ago. Unable to endure the torment, Laxmi reportedly attempted suicide. It was within this context that Srikanth proposed a compromise, during which the alleged assault occurred, according to the family.
