KANPUR: The Kanpur Dehat police in UP have claimed to have busted an alleged religious conversion racket in Akbarpur, arresting three people, including a woman, on charges of converting people from the scheduled castes by offering them incentives. The police are now investigating the interstate network and possible foreign funding links. Police said there were complaints from Akbarpur residents about mass conversions to Christianity, allegedly done by luring people with valuables and money. An FIR was registered on Jan 9 under the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act 2021, following a complaint by a local, Ram Bharose. A police team investigating the case arrested three people on Jan 10.

They have been identified as Daniel Sharad Singh (Jhansi), Hariom alias Hariom Tyagi (Akbarpur), and Savitri Sharma (Akbarpur town). Police said the accused revealed they ran a vocational training centre registered in Andhra Pradesh. Using this as a cover, they would allegedly convert people from the scheduled castes by preaching Christianity and offering them incentives. Police said they have recovered photos, videos, Bible lessons and details of people allegedly converted from the accused's phones.