US Citizen, Two Others Booked in Bhiwandi for ‘Illegal Religious Activities’
Bhiwandi (Maharashtra):
Things have gotten serious in Thane district after police booked three people — including an American national — for allegedly carrying out banned religious practices and illegal conversions in Bhiwandi.
The accused have been identified as Sainath Sarape, James Watson (the US citizen), and Manoj Kolha. Police say the trio was involved in misleading villagers under the pretext of religious gatherings and prayers.
Police Crack Down on “Conversion Under Guise of Prayer”
According to Thane Rural SP D.S. Swamy, all three accused were taken into custody and produced before court
“An offence has been registered, which includes three accused. One of them is a foreign national. After the police custody ended, the main court sent him to judicial custody,” Swamy confirmed.
Preliminary investigations suggest the group had been active in the region for quite some time, allegedly persuading locals to participate in “spiritual sessions” that later turned out to be attempts at conversion.
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NHRC Member Raises Alarm on Religious Conversions
This incident follows a recent statement by Priyank Kanoongo, member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), who flagged concerns over alleged conversions of Hindu children in Madhya Pradesh’s Morena and Shivpuri districts.
According to Kanoongo, nearly 500 Hindu children were reportedly enrolled in government-funded madrasas, where they were being taught Quranic lessons and Islamic studies.
“We got complaints that Hindu children are being taught in madrasas under a conversion conspiracy. We’ve sent the complaint to the MP government for investigation,” he said.
He also stressed that madrasas are not meant to replace formal schooling — children, regardless of faith, should attend regular schools for their fundamental education.
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Bigger Questions Around Faith, Freedom, and Oversight
The Bhiwandi case adds to a growing national conversation about religious conversions, faith-based institutions, and the thin line between freedom of religion and coercive proselytization.
While authorities continue to investigate the extent of the alleged conversion network, the case has already reignited debates around foreign influence in religious outreach programs across rural Maharashtra.
InPut :- ANI
