bhopal

Updated: May 24, 2017 21:04 IST

A tribal woman has approached the police counseling centre in tribal district of Jhabua in Western Madhya Pradesh alleging that her in-laws, who have converted to Christianity, are pressuring her to become a Christian and also eat beef.

This case comes soon after 70 odd tribal children were caught in Ratlam and Indore on their way to Nagpur, allegedly for being converted to Christianity.

The fresh case came to light when Dinesh of village Negdia complained to the police that his wife Rekha was refusing to return home from her father’s house.

Rekha, presenting her side before the police, said that her in-laws had converted to Christianity two years back, but she remained a Hindu. She alleged that nowadays her in-laws consumed beef regularly and pressurized her to consume the same, with the warning that if she continued to defy she would be thrown before a speeding train. She also said that the local pastor also visited the house for prayer meetings and her family forced her to join. Rekha said of late the atmosphere in her in-laws house had become oppressive because she was refusing to convert to Christianity.

Dinesh and his mother Vajubai admitted that they had become Christians but denied that they were pressurizing Rekha to adopt the same religion. They said that Rekha was free to remain a Hindu, but they wanted to her to return home. Vajubai said she had been ailing for a long time, but after converting to Christianility her health had improved.

Rekha’s father, Fateh Singh, who is supporting his daughter said that when Rekha got married, her in-laws were Hindus but converted soon after. He said that Rekha wanted to stay in a separate house with her husband, as she believed that she would be able to convince him not to consume beef and also bring him back to Hinduism, which wouldn’t be possible if she stayed with all her in-laws.

Jhabua SP Mahesh Chandra Jain said that he is aware of the case. “We are looking into the charges from both sides and will take necessary steps,” the SP said.