A pastor and his son were arrested in Uttar Pradesh’s Fatehpur district on Sunday following allegations of illegal religious conversion during a prayer meeting at a church, after protests by Bajrang Dal activists.
The accused have been identified as David Gladion (60) and his son Abhishek Gladion (30). Their arrest came after members of the right-wing group staged a nearly three-hour protest outside the church, alleging that Hindu women were being lured to convert with promises of money, jobs and free education for their children.
According to police, tensions briefly escalated when protesters surrounded the police vehicle after the duo were taken into custody. The situation was brought under control after Circle Officer Veer Singh reached the spot with a heavy police presence.
Radha Nagar Station House Officer Vinod Kumar Maurya said a case has been registered under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act against the pastor, his son and seven unidentified persons. The FIR was filed on the complaint of a local resident, Dev Prakash Paswan.
Paswan alleged that he and others were invited to the church for prayers, where derogatory remarks were made about Hindu beliefs and attendees were pressured to convert. He further claimed that offers of ₹1,100, employment and free education for children were made, and that those who objected were allegedly offered money to remain silent.
Police said publicity vehicles were being used to invite villagers to prayer meetings. One such vehicle was seized during the protest, and religious literature was recovered from it.
CO Veer Singh said the police are verifying the purpose of the women’s presence at the church and examining the allegations. “The investigation is underway, and further action will be taken based on the evidence,” he said.
The arrests come amid growing concern raised by Christian groups over what they describe as a pattern of harassment and violence linked to allegations of forced conversions. The United Christians Forum (UCF), in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi dated December 26, said it recorded hundreds of incidents targeting Christians across the country in 2024 and 2025, with Uttar Pradesh accounting for the highest number of such cases.
