The Palakkad North police have arrested nine activists of the Pentecostal Mission on charges of engaging in forced conversion of the members of the Hindu community. They were later released on bail.
The police said the nine-member group from Thrissur was distributing leaflets within the Kalpathy agraharam decrying temple worship. They were arrested after the locals rounded them up and handed them over to the police. “They were engaged in forced conversion of the members of the Hindu community,” the police said. Cases were charged on counts of causing communal hatred and engaging in forced conversion.
The arrested are Philipose, son of George, Kallangudiyil, Thrissur; Sunny of Chungath in Thrissur; Appu, of Minor Round, Thrissur; Nelson, of Chirayath Manjiyil, Thrissur; Thangaraj, of Oullur; Baby and James, of Anjeri; John, of Kolath; and Abraham of Pulazhi, Pudussery, Thrissur . They were produced in the CJM Court, Palakkad, on Thursday, which granted them bail.