Chitradurga: Man forced to convert to Christianity to see his new born and wife

Chitradurga: A man was forced to convert to Christianity by his in-laws in Hosadurga police station of Chitradurga district in Karnataka on Tuesday.

Marappa, a resident of Budga Jangam Colony in Aravind Nagar near Hospet, alleged that he is not being allowed to see his new born baby and his wife.

He said he was being threatened, blackmailed and assaulted by the wife’s family members to get converted to Christianity.

The complaint has been lodged against Vasanthkumar, his father-in-law, Ramachandrappa, his wife’s grandfather, relatives Sudhakar, Manjunath, Sankappa. The case has again sparked debate on the religious conversions in the region. Local BJP MLA Sudhakar has raised the issue in the Assembly session and later the ruling BJP brought in the Anti-conversion Bill.

In his complaint, Marappa said on July 6, 2020 while getting married, he was forced to take a dip in the holy water and declared that he is now converted to Christianity. The accused had torn and burnt Hindu Gods’ photos asking him not to worship them.

The accused told him that the Hindu goddesses Sunklamma, Maramma, Durgamma are nothing but “evils” and that he would go to hell if he worshiped them.

The complainant had sent his wife Sarala during pregnancy to her parents house on December 2, 2021. Marappa mentioned in the complaint that he had come to know about the newborn baby from others.

When his brothers Doddahusseni, Sana Hussaini, Karthik, Chandru went to see the baby, the accused abused and did not allow them inside their residence, police said.

The police stated that the complainant was told that if he followed Christianity, only then he could see his newborn kid and wife and he could also take them to his house. On questioning them, his brothers were assaulted.

Marappa has demanded that the police initiate action against the accused for hurting his religious sentiments and send his wife and kid with him.

The matter has come to the notice of Hyderabad Karnataka Alemari (nomadic) Budga Jangam Jagruthi Samithi and the complainant has met the local BJP MLA Goolihatti Shekar asking for justice. The police are investigating the case.

(With inputs from IANS)