The Rachakonda Police of Hyderabad on Sunday arrested nine persons for allegedly converting children to Islam .

The accused were running an orphanage named Peace Orphan Home Society and were luring children from poor families of Telangana and making them to convert to Islam by assuring free education, food and shelter.

Police has rescued 17 children in the age group of 4-14 years, including 7 girls from Moula Ali area on the complaint of the Districts Child Welfare officials.

While the police has 9 accused, including prime accused Mohammed Siddiqi alias Satyanarayana and eight others, search for one more accused is on.

"They were luring parents from tribal areas of Bhadrachalam, Mahabubnagar, Khammam and Warangal districts of Telangana and converting them illegally," said Mahesh M Bhagwat CP Rachakonda while speaking to India Today.

The main accused Siddiqui converted to Islam in 2003-2004 and started Peace Orphan Society in Warangal and last year he started running a school-cum-hostel in Hyderabad.

"The organisers who himself are converted to Islam intentionally not changed their names to obtain reservation for future government services. They are in opinion that using their position they can convert huge number of people to Islam," added CP Mahesh Bhagwat.

Police are also investigating the source of funds for the NGO.

All the accused persons are booked under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, 363 (kidnapping), 342 (wrongful confinement) of the IPC and relevant sections of the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.