Suspected conversion from Hindu to Christianity involving US citizens foiled in Solapur; FIR filed, accused arrested

Maharashtra: A case of suspected conversion from Hindu to Christianity made headlines in Maharashtra's Solapur allegedly involving three US citizens. Notably, a suspected conversion involving Christian foreigners was foiled in Solapur on September 19. An FIR was registered against nine accused in the Natepute police station under section 295A of IPC in connection with the said incident. Three foreign citizens have been arrested. An investigation is underway.

The arrested accused are identified as Nathan Tucker (25, resident of Oklahoma, USA), Steven Ray (58, resident of California, USA), and Daniel Jordan (39, resident of Arkansas, USA).

In addition to the arrests, three accused were detained but were released after recording statements. The police are also investigating whether any visa rules were violated during the same. More details are awaited.

A similar case of conversion from Hindu to Muslim surfaced in the adjoining state of Karnataka last week when a Dalit man alleged that he was taken to a graveyard, forcibly circumcised and converted by a group of people. A 26-year-old Dalit man Shreedhar Gangadhar from the Mandya district filed a complaint with the Hubballi police with allegations of forceful conversion.

Gangadhar alleged that he was taken to various mosques and was forcibly made to eat beef. He also claimed that the accused took pictures of him holding a gun and threatened to release it to cops if he approached them.

Gangadhar named a Muslim tea seller Attavar Rehman as the prime accused in the case. According to Gangadhar, he went to Rehman who promised to resolve his problems and made him meet some people. "He then took me to a doctor named Hafiz, he lured me into following Islam, I then met Nadeem and Nayaz Pasha in Iliyas nagar where they took me for a circumcision, next day they told me to listen to what they say, they then asked me to eat beef to which I refused and then they began to threaten me," said Gangadhar.