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Indian Express
02-08-2025
- Indian Express
Kerala nuns arrested in Chhattisgarh in ‘forceful conversion' case granted bail
An NIA court in Bilaspur Saturday granted bail to three people, including two nuns from Kerala, who were arrested recently in Chhattisgarh's Durg district in an alleged forced conversion and human trafficking case. A sessions court had earlier disposed of the bail application reasoning that the matter should be heard by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur district. The nuns, Preeti Marry and Vandana Francis, and one more person, Sukaman Mandavi, were arrested last Friday at the Durg railway station in Chhattisgarh on allegations that they were involved in forceful conversion and human trafficking. The FIR, registered under sections of the Chhattisgarh Religious Freedom Act and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, was based on a complaint by a local Bajrang Dal worker, who alleged that the accused forcibly converted three women from Narayanpur district and were attempting to traffic them.
New Indian Express
29-07-2025
- New Indian Express
After arrest of nuns, political row in Chhattisgarh
RAIPUR: A case of alleged human trafficking and religious conversion got political colour on Monday following the arrest of three, including two Catholic nuns—Sisters Preeti Marry and Vandana Francis—from Kerala in Chhattisgarh's Durg. The trio, taken into custody by Durg Government Railway Police (GRP) on Saturday for human trafficking and coerced religious conversion, were remanded to judicial custody by the JMFC court till August 8. They were booked under BNS Section 143 (trafficking). Citing the incident as a serious concern for women's safety, Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Monday wrote on X, 'Three daughters of Narayanpur were promised nursing training and later jobs. It's an attempt to convert people through human trafficking by allurement. Investigation is going on in this matter. The case is sub-judice and the law will take its own course.'
Indian Express
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
2 nuns arrested in Chhattisgarh on conversion charges; ‘targeted for their faith,' claims Rahul Gandhi
The arrest of three people – including two nuns – in Chhattisgarh on conversion allegations has snowballed into a political row, with Opposition Congress calling it 'systematic persecution of minorities'. The arrested people have been identified as nuns Preeti Marry and Vandana Francis, and another person, Sukaman Mandavi. An FIR was registered on the back of a complaint from a local Bajrang Dal worker who alleged the suspects had 'forcibly converted' three women from Narayanpur district and were attempting to traffic them. 'An FIR has been registered against them under relevant sections of the Chhattisgarh Religious Freedom Act and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act,' a GRP official said, adding that when questioned, the victims had alleged that they had been promised jobs and were being taken to Agra, and that one of the suspects had brought them to Durg station. The arrests have drawn a backlash, with Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi claiming that the nuns were being 'being targeted for their faith'. 'It reflects a dangerous pattern: systematic persecution of minorities under this regime,' he said on X, calling it the 'RSS-BJP mob rule'. 'UDF MPs protested in Parliament today. We will not be silent. Religious freedom is a constitutional right. We demand their immediate release and accountability for this injustice.' All India Congress Committee general secretary KC Venugopal also made similar allegations. 'UDF MPs held a strong protest outside Parliament today against the shocking arrest and harassment of Catholic nuns in Durg in Chhattisgarh. They were targeted by a violent mob despite no wrongdoing. By the BJP-RSS ecosystem, all minorities are treated as criminals and lumpen elements are unleashed to intimidate fellow citizens practising their faith. This jugalbandi between Bajrang Dal goons and the police in Chhattisgarh shows the BJP's real intent towards religious minorities,' he said, adding: 'We demand their immediate release and justice for the innocent nuns'.
New Indian Express
27-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Three, including two nuns, held for human trafficking in Chhattisgarh
RAIPUR: Three persons, including two Catholic nuns who had reportedly come from Agra, were arrested by the Government Railway Police (GRP) in Durg on Friday for alleged human trafficking amid suspicion of coerced religious conversion. They were remanded to 14-day judicial custody, a police officer said. The trio were booked under BNS Section 143 (trafficking of persons). All three were caught accompanying three young women aged between 18 and 20 years, hailing from Narayanpur district in south Bastar, after Bajrang Dal activists spotted them at Durg railway station. The group was allegedly preparing to travel to Agra for training and subsequent employment opportunities. Bajrang Dal members staged demonstrations at the Durg GRP police station demanding strict action against those allegedly involved in human trafficking and forced religious conversion. 'The nuns had come to Durg merely a day before without any valid reason. They were about to board a train along with the rescued girls to Agra when we spotted them,' said Ravi Nigam, a Bajrang Dal leader. Members of the Christian community also gathered at the GRP Durg station and were seen defending the nuns. The two nuns — Preeti Marry and Vandana Francis — who had come from Agra, along with Sukhman Mandavi from Narayanpur, were produced before a local court in Durg and remanded to 14-day judicial custody. The rescued girls have been sent to the Sakhi One Stop Centre in Durg. Meanwhile, Congress MP K C Venugopal has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai seeking stringent action against the perpetrators. He also urged the government to uphold constitutional rights and religious freedom in the state. The Congress leader alleged that BJP-ruled states are witnessing a rampant rise in attacks on minorities. 'The latest attacks by Bajrang Dal goons on two Catholic nuns in Durg, Chhattisgarh, point to a tacit support for such hate crimes from the ruling establishment,' Venugopal wrote on X.
The Print
27-07-2025
- The Print
Two nuns among three held in Chhattisgarh over ‘forced religious conversion', ‘human trafficking'
The action was taken following a complaint by a local Bajrang Dal functionary, accusing the trio of forcibly converting three girls from Narayanpur and trafficking them, the official said. The accused, identified as Sukaman Mandavi and nuns Preeti Marry and Vandana Francis, were apprehended on Friday, he said. Durg, Jul 27 (PTI) Three persons, including two nuns, were arrested at Durg railway station in Chhattisgarh over alleged human trafficking and forced religious conversion, a Government Railway Police (GRP) official said on Sunday. A case was registered under the Chhattisgarh Religious Conversion Act and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act after the statements of the girls and interrogation of the three accused, the official said. 'The girls said the nuns were taking them to Agra in Uttar Pradesh on the pretext of jobs. The girls said that Mandavi had brought them to Durg railway station, from where they had to go to Agra with the two nuns,' the GRP official added. PTI COR NR This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
