The Rachakonda police in Hyderabad, Telangana has busted a religious conversion racket, by arresting a couple from Kadapa district in AP, over accusations of them converting tribal kids to Christianity.

As reported, the police have rescued nine kids aged below 14 years of age from the couple, who allegedly were teaching the kids about the Christian faith, under the guise of an orphanage and old age home. These kids are reported to hail from the backward communities living in Suryapet, Mahbubnagar, Warangal, Khammam and Kothagudem districts.

The accused couple was supposedly touring Hyderabad from the past three years. About three months ago the couple moved to the Parvathapur region, under the Medipally police station, to start a shelter house named Nazareth Orphan Children & Home for the Aged.

Here they admitted about 16 kids below the age of 14 by claiming that they would be provided education and shelter. The kids here were taught Christian prayers and Christian literature too was found in the house.

Based on a tip-off the police raided the shelter home and rescued four boys, five girls. It has been alleged that at one point a single room was housing 16 kids, which is a violation of juvenile justice act.

In recent days, reports have emerged about law enforcement authorities acting against attempts to forcibly convert people to Christianity.

We had reported how Madhya Pradesh police had arrested a Catholic priest and detained 40 others, over accusations of them forcibly converting Hindus to Christianity. The man who made the complaint alleged that he was converted to Christianity by being offered money. It was also alleged that one of the fathers present in the group also asked villagers to take holy dips in the pond and embrace Christianity.

It was also reported how the Mathura police had arrested 7 Christian preachers after they were accused of carrying out forced conversions in a UP village. These preachers were alleged to have distributed Bibles among the citizens and even allegedly started insulting other deities while praying at one of the villager’s house.

As per one of the villagers, these preachers turned aggressive and tried to forcibly convert the people after they became exasperated with their ‘lack of success’.