5/15/2025 India (International Christian Concern) — Police in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on May 6 to probe allegations of forced religious conversions.

An order issued by the Madhya Pradesh Police Headquarters stated they received intelligence that “socially vulnerable and weaker sections of girls/women have been systematically targeted through tactics such as romantic entrapment, deception, threats, or other inducements, leading to their mental, physical, and social exploitation.

“In these incidents, the victims have allegedly been coerced into religious conversion through fear, pressure, or deceit. Such incidents are not only criminal in nature, but also pose a serious challenge to the dignity, freedom, and social harmony of women.”

Christian watchdogs have said this could be another ruse for the use of state machinery by Hindu nationalist groups to target Christians and other minority religious communities.

Goel Dharma, a noted social activist associated with a law firm dealing with Christian persecution cases in Madhya Pradesh, said that an SIT is formed to deal with any anti-national criminal activities.

“However, now we can see that the state is doing it to intimidate minority communities,” Dharma said. “The SIT will check if any fraudulent or forceful means are applied in faith practices since high-ranking police officers are investigating to collect evidence.”

The SIT is chaired by the Bhopal (Rural) Inspector General of Police and includes senior officers, such as the additional commissioner of police (Crime & Headquarters), Urban Police Bhopal; the assistant inspector general of police, Women Safety Branch; and the superintendent of police, State Cyber Cell.

According to media reports, the SIT was formed in the wake of a rape and blackmail case, in which a group of men are accused of raping women after hiding their religious identity in Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh.
But communal politics have influenced the case. It has been alleged that some groups are now conducting door-to-door campaigns to inform citizens to stay vigilant against “forced religious conversions.”

Meanwhile, Dharma cautions that if the practice of the Christian faith is sincere, the investigation will reveal no malpractices within the faith communities.

The state of Madhya Pradesh has a stringent anti-conversion law in place, and many pastors and believers have been jailed. The SIT is expected to pose more challenges to the Christian community.

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