Pastor arrested for bribing conversions in Uttar Pradesh

A pastor in Uttar Pradesh was arrested for trying to convert people to Christianity by offering them money. Ravi Kumar Azad, also known as Ravi Pastor, is the main suspect in a case that began in August 2024. He had been hiding since the case was opened, according to police. Azad was taken into custody on Wednesday near the Bhaura Mandir outpost in Saharanpur. His arrest followed a tip-off to a special police team. Previously, five other individuals were jailed in connection with this case. The case started on August 12, 2024, when Manoj Tyagi filed a complaint. He accused Azad and his associates of pressuring individuals, especially from the Scheduled Caste community, to convert. They allegedly offered financial help and created psychological pressure for conversion. Police registered the case under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021. The Meerut Crime Branch is investigating, and efforts to locate Azad had been ongoing until his recent arrest.