Karnataka police has booked a church pastor Samuel, along with his wife and minor son. The trio were targeting poor Hindus for forcible conversions to Christianity. The missionaries were committing these crimes in Koppal district of Karnataka.
Besides, police has filed another FIR against the son of the Samuel. has been lodged for allegedly raping a minor girl.
According to reports, the pastor and his family, has been running a church for last several years. Pastor Samuel was allegedly converting poor Dalit families to Christianity under threat. The incident came to light when a dalit victim Shankar, complained against Samuel’s activities.
The pastor had converted Shankar along with his wife and children to Christianity. Shankar lodged a police complaint against the missionary family alleging that the pastor converted them on false promises.
As per the complaint, the missionary allegedly asked Shankar’s family to throw away pictures or idols of Hindu deities. Pastor was so hateful that he told Shankar and others that worshipping Hindu God is a sin. Victims further alleged that the pastor threatened converted families to not to worship Hindu gods.
In another case, a 14-year-old girl’s family said in the police complaint that the pastor’s minor son allegedly raped her on the false promise of marrying her when she turns 18. Pastor’s son had visited the girl’s house on the pretext of offering prayers and raped her. Her parents were not home at that time.
Police has booked the pastor and his family under the anti-conversion law. And, cops have registered another case under various sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, 2012 against the minor accused. The police has sent the minor accused to remand home. The probe is on against pastor’s family for their alleged conversion activities.
