Christian Priest Polo Messiah arrested in UP for forced religious conversions

New Delhi, Dec 26: A Church priest has been held in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh for forced religious conversions, the police said.

The police said that the accused priest Polo Messiah has been booked under various sections of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversions of Religious Act. The case was registered following a complaint by a local resident, Rajeev Yadav against the accused. The priest was arrested on December 26, Monday, Sansar Singh, additional DCP, Rampur said.

The DCP also added that the local police station got the information that a priest Polo Messiah, a resident of Civil Lines was gathering people from other communities and was attempting to convert them.

It may be recalled that on December 21 a similar case had been filed by the Sitapur Police. An FIR was filed against two persons for forced conversions in Uttar Pradesh. The police had said that two Indians and four Brazilian nationals had organised a programme in Shahbajpur village and lured people to change their religion to Christianity.

In October the Uttar Pradesh police had lodged an FIR against nine persons who were forcing people to convert to Christianity in Meerut.

In February 2021, the Uttar Pradesh Assembly passed the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Bill, 2021. Violation of the provisions of the law provides for a jail term of one to five years with a penalty of Rs 15,000 for forceful religious conversions. For conversions of minors and women of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes community there would be a jail term of three to ten years with a fine of Rs 25,000. In the case of forced mass conversions, the law provides for a jail term of three to ten years and a penalty of Rs 50,000.

If a person wants to marry after converting to any other religion, they would need permission from the district magistrate, two months before the marriage, the law also says.