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NDTV
15 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
UP Police Arrests 14 People, Busts Unlawful Religious Conversion Syndicate
Agra: The Uttar Pradesh Police have made significant strides in cracking down on unlawful religious conversions, arresting 14 individuals involved in a syndicate operating across multiple states. This operation is part of Mission Asmita, a flagship initiative launched by the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government to identify and eliminate threats linked to illegal religious conversions and radicalisation. Three more individuals were arrested on Wednesday, bringing the total number of arrests to 14. The accused include Junaid Qureshi, who allegedly married a woman after forcefully converting her. Speaking to the media, Agra Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar said, "One of the victims, found under Mission Asmita, gave a statement in front of the magistrate that she was forcefully converted. Junaid Qureshi, who married her inappropriately, has been arrested along with two others by the police. A total of 14 people have been arrested in the case. We have sent our teams to the Qazi who facilitated the weddings. The three accused have told that this is their work and their wives are also converted. We have recovered some suspicious materials along with mobile phone and SIM cards. The accused confessed that he went across the country for this work and he undertook many trips to Kashmir, Nepal, Bhutan, and West Bengal." The arrested individuals are well-educated and proficient in several languages. Police are investigating their money transactions and potential ties to other extremist outfits. "Police are also trying to find out the details on their money transactions," he said. Earlier, the Uttar Pradesh Police arrested 10 individuals across six states in a crackdown on an unlawful religious conversion syndicate. The UP Police on July 19 held a press conference to provide information about the syndicate. The operation was led by the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Special Task Force (STF), with support from central intelligence agencies. Investigations have uncovered foreign funding from Canada, the US, London, and Dubai, with links to radicalisation and terror groups like PFI, SDPI, and Pakistani terror organisations. Key accused Mohammad Umar Gautam, Mufti Jahangir Alam Qasmi, and Chhangur Baba alias Jamaluddin were apprehended for orchestrating conversions through enticement and "love jihad," targeting young girls. The accused used enticement and "love jihad" to target young girls, mirroring ISIS tactics. They have confessed to travelling across the country for this work, including trips to Kashmir, Nepal, Bhutan, and West Bengal. During the press conference, Uttar Pradesh DGP Rajeev Krishna stated, "UP Police had launched Mission Asmita, where a few accused of the unlawful religious conversion syndicate were arrested. The ATS arrested Mohammad Umar Gautam and Mufti Jahangir Alam Qasmi. In this connection, the unlawful religious conversion syndicate of Chhangur Baba alias Jamaluddin alias Jamaluddin was busted. The ATS and STF investigations are underway. Few shocking things have come to light - international 'jihadi' funding for 'jihad' was received, radicalisation and unlawful religious conversion to hamper national security..." Investigators have found digital evidence of religious indoctrination, including extremist videos and hate sermons, on the victims' devices. The network may have overlaps with previous radicalisation cases detected in states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra. He further added, "In this connection, 10 people across 6 states have been arrested. They especially influenced young girls through enticement, love jihad and other methods for religious conversion. This modus operandi of unlawful religious conversion is the signature of ISIS. So far, in preliminary investigation, there are indications of this group having ties with PFI, SDPI and Pakistani terror far, evidence has been gathered about funding from Canada, America, London and Dubai and involvement of people residing there. Further action is being taken." In a related case, Agra Police arrested 10 individuals following a missing persons report of two sisters, Ameena (33) and Zoya (18), in March 2025. The case, registered under BNS sections and the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, revealed a network promoting radicalisation and conversions through foreign funds.
News18
2 days ago
- News18
Conversion Mafia Busted: Inside UP Police's Operation In Kolkata To Rescue 'Agra Sisters'
News18 delves deep into Mission Asmita, uncovering how a mix of intelligence coordination, cultural camouflage, and digital surveillance helped crack the case. Wearing kurta-pyjamas, skull caps, and blending seamlessly into a Muslim-dominated neighbourhood of Kolkata, a 48-member team of UP Police and ATS posed as daily wage workers and tenants for five days. Their target was a discreet safehouse where two radicalised sisters from Agra had taken shelter under the influence of a notorious conversion agent. The covert operation culminated in a dramatic rescue and the arrest of Abdul Rehman Qureshi, born Mahendra Pal, who police say is a key player in a sprawling religious conversion syndicate stretching across multiple states. News18 delved deep into the high-stakes rescue dubbed Mission Asmita, uncovering how a mix of intelligence coordination, cultural camouflage, and digital surveillance helped crack open a secretive network. The breakthrough comes just days after the sensational arrest of Chhangur Baba, another high-profile figure allegedly involved in a parallel conversion racket operating from a temple compound. Both cases, senior officials say, point to a deep-rooted national conspiracy that uses emotional and religious manipulation to radicalise and convert vulnerable individuals, particularly women. The rescue followed the mysterious disappearance of two sisters from Agra in March 2025. While an abduction FIR was initially lodged, clues pointed towards a deeper conspiracy. Intelligence inputs hinted that the sisters were being held and radicalised in a densely populated locality of Kolkata. The area was flagged as extremely sensitive – known for hostility towards outsiders. To avoid confrontation and remain inconspicuous, Agra Police deployed Muslim personnel and instructed others to dress in ethnic Muslim attire. Over the next five days, the undercover team tried to locate the safehouse — first by attempting to rent rooms, then by trailing outsiders making repeated visits to a particular home. Finally, the sisters were found — both in hijab and resistant to leaving. 'Our purpose is fulfilled," they reportedly told police. But after counselling by female officers, the sisters agreed to return. The police moved them to a secure location where their phones were examined. What they found was disturbing — chats, videos, and online material showing the extent of radical indoctrination. The Woman Who Lit the Spark, And the College Friendship That Enabled It The sisters' descent into radicalisation began quietly in 2021 when the elder sister, Muskan (name changed), was pursuing her MPhil at Agra's DEI College. There, she befriended a Kashmiri student named Saima, who slowly introduced her to Islamic practices — sharing videos, gifting books on Islam, and encouraging her to wear the hijab. Muskan, once a regular temple-goer, began offering namaz at azaan and opposing rituals at home. Her family's concerns peaked when they confiscated her phone, but by then, she had already started using her younger sister's device — inadvertently dragging her sibling into the same ideological vortex. Through Saima, the sisters connected with Ritu Banik, who had already converted and taken the name Mohammad Ibrahim. He ran Instagram pages that targeted young Hindu women with promises of safety, identity, and spiritual rebirth. It was Ibrahim who introduced them to Abdul Rehman and his underground network — offering them a life free from oppression, police said. Abdul Rehman and a 200-Person Network with Global Ties Police investigations have revealed that Abdul Rehman Qureshi, formerly Mahendra Pal, is not just a lone preacher but the alleged kingpin of a sprawling conversion syndicate that has radicalised and converted over 200 individuals across India in recent years. His operations were not limited to Agra or Kolkata — the network stretched across Delhi, Jaipur, Dehradun, West Bengal, and even as far as Goa. Among those arrested are Aysha, who was traced to a safehouse in Goa; Ritu Banik alias Mohammad Ibrahim, a key social media propagandist; and Osama, a handler who remains on the run. Digital evidence, including chats and propaganda material, suggests that one of the accused maintained contact with Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba. The content accessed and shared among the group included AK-47 imagery, martyrdom glorification, and Islamic State-style messaging — all signs that the sisters were not merely converts but being ideologically primed for possible terror deployment. A senior police official noted, 'Had they not been rescued in time, they may have been used for something much worse." This has prompted security agencies to reclassify the sisters not just as victims but potential recruits for future interrogation. With confirmed foreign funding, digital indoctrination platforms, and international collaborators involved, police have now invoked charges under the UAPA and organised crime sections of the IPC. A Red Corner Notice is being prepared for one Saud, a Canada-based suspect, as more arrests loom in what officials are now calling one of the largest coordinated religious conversion and radicalisation plots uncovered in recent times. From Shaheen Bagh to Phulat: The Shadow of Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui Abdul Rehman is believed to have taken over the operations after the 2021 arrest of Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui — a prominent Islamic preacher who ran a powerful madrasa network from Phulat village in Uttar Pradesh. Siddiqui, whose institution once hosted high-profile guests like former CEC SY Quraishi and academic Anant Bhagwat, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Allahabad High Court. His arrest left a leadership vacuum in the underground world of conversion syndicates, which, police believe, was quickly filled by Abdul Rehman. Under his leadership, operations shifted deeper into the digital realm — with encrypted channels, fake identity recruitment, and cross-border funding becoming the norm. The Aftermath: Recovery, Rebuilding, and Red Flags The rescued sisters are now housed in a secure de-radicalisation facility. Their psychological state, officers say, is fragile but improving. 'The real challenge begins now — not just legally but mentally," said an ATS official. 'They were deeply conditioned to reject family, nation, and everything they grew up with." Meanwhile, the UP Police and central agencies are expanding their net — scanning call records, financial trails, and online groups that may have been used for indoctrination and recruitment. With links to terrorism, conversion mafias, and international propaganda confirmed, investigators say this is not the end — it's just the beginning. Following the arrest of Abdul Rehman, UP Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar announced in Lucknow that Rehman was identified based on confessions from earlier detainees. He confirmed Rehman was the 11th arrest in the inter-state conversion network and that police retrieved conversion-themed books and documents from his Delhi residence, including texts by Kaleem Siddiqui. The commissioner also revealed the network's reach: it operated across six states, allegedly converting over 200 individuals with backing from foreign sources, including the US, Canada, and Dubai. Legal actions under UP's anti-conversion law (BNS Sections 87, 111) and organised-crime provisions have been invoked. top videos View all At a press conference, Director General of Police Rajeev Krishna referred to the network as an inter-state 'love jihad' racket, claiming it exploited emotional vulnerability through online radical content, facilitated conversions, and was funded via dark-web channels, echoing ISIS tactics. From a narrow bylane in Agra to a radical hideout 1,300 km away in Kolkata — the journey of two sisters may have ended in rescue, but their case has blown the lid off a massive, well-oiled machinery of conversion, extremism, and international propaganda. The UP Police now says: 'We've just scratched the surface." Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Conversion Case UP Police view comments Location : Lucknow, India, India First Published: July 23, 2025, 14:42 IST News india Conversion Mafia Busted: Inside UP Police's Operation In Kolkata To Rescue 'Agra Sisters' Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Indian Express
‘Religious conversion': 10 held from six states
The Uttar Pradesh Police on Saturday claimed to have busted a network allegedly indulging in illegal religious conversions with the arrest of 10 people from six states in connection with its probe into abduction of two sisters from Agra in March this year. Police said during the investigation into the abduction of the sisters, aged 33 and 18, they found evidence indicating the involvement of a group operating across multiple states. Uttar Pradesh DGP Rajeev Krishna confirmed the arrest of 10 people. The police traced the Agra sisters to a house in Kolkata on Friday and they were rescued in presence of their family members, said a police officer. Police said the accused would allegedly lure young women, particularly minors, across states through deceitful means for religious conversion and were receiving funds from Canada and other countries to run their operations. Police said preliminary investigations suggest the group's link with organisations like PFI, SDPI and some extremist groups in Pakistan. In the process of tracing the sisters, the Agra police detected the network of a group and secured non-bailable warrants against the accused. Eleven teams were dispatched to different states, including West Bengal, Goa, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Rajasthan, to make the arrests, police said. Those arrested – all aged between 18 years and 35 years — have been identified as Ayesha alias S B Krishna from Goa; Ali Hasan alias Shekhar Roy, Ritwanik and Osama from Kolkata; Rahman Qureshi from Agra; Abu Talib from Muzaffarnagar; Abdur Rahman alias Rupendra Singh from Dehradun; Mohammad Ali and Junaid Qureshi from Rajasthan; and Mustafa alias Manoj from Delhi. The accused were engaged in various occupations, ranging from private and government jobs to running businesses. One of their associates is abroad, police said. According to the police, the accused were playing varied roles such as arranging and distributing funds, offering safe houses, providing legal assistance, supplying new phones and SIM cards, preparing documents for religious conversion, etc. Police said the number of religious conversions undertaken by the network would be clear after the questioning of the accused. Agra Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar said they have obtained a 10-day police custody of the accused from an Agra court. DGP Krishna said the fresh arrests were part of the 'Mission Asmita', under which two persons, named Mohammad Umar Gautam and Jahangir Alam Qasmi, were arrested earlier for their involvement in religious conversions. Recently, Jamaluddin alias Chhangur Baba and his associates were arrested for running an illegal conversion racket in Balrampur district.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Indian Express
UP Police arrests 10 from 6 states for running ‘religious conversion racket'
The Uttar Pradesh Police on Saturday claimed to have busted a network allegedly indulging in illegal religious conversions with the arrest of 10 people from six states in connection with its probe into abduction of two sisters from Agra in March this year. Police said during the investigation into the abduction of the sisters, aged 33 and 18, they found evidence indicating the involvement of a group operating across multiple states. Uttar Pradesh DGP Rajeev Krishna confirmed the arrest of 10 people. The police traced the Agra sisters to a house in Kolkata on Friday and they were rescued in presence of their family members, said a police officer. Police said the accused would allegedly lure young women, particularly minors, across states through deceitful means for religious conversion and were receiving funds from Canada and other countries to run their operations. Police said preliminary investigations suggest the group's link with organisations like PFI, SDPI and some extremist groups in Pakistan. In the process of tracing the sisters, the Agra police detected the network of a group and secured non-bailable warrants against the accused. Eleven teams were dispatched to different states, including West Bengal, Goa, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Rajasthan, to make the arrests, police said. Those arrested – all aged between 18 years and 35 years — have been identified as Ayesha alias S B Krishna from Goa; Ali Hasan alias Shekhar Roy, Ritwanik and Osama from Kolkata; Rahman Qureshi from Agra; Abu Talib from Muzaffarnagar; Abdur Rahman alias Rupendra Singh from Dehradun; Mohammad Ali and Junaid Qureshi from Rajasthan; and Mustafa alias Manoj from Delhi. The accused were engaged in various occupations, ranging from private and government jobs to running businesses. One of their associates is abroad, police said. According to the police, the accused were playing varied roles such as arranging and distributing funds, offering safe houses, providing legal assistance, supplying new phones and SIM cards, preparing documents for religious conversion, etc. Police said the number of religious conversions undertaken by the network would be clear after the questioning of the accused. Agra Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar said they have obtained a 10-day police custody of the accused from an Agra court. DGP Krishna said the fresh arrests were part of the 'Mission Asmita', under which two persons, named Mohammad Umar Gautam and Jahangir Alam Qasmi, were arrested earlier for their involvement in religious conversions. Recently, Jamaluddin alias Chhangur Baba and his associates were arrested for running an illegal conversion racket in Balrampur district. Given the gravity of these incidents, specialized units of the UP Police, including the Special Task Force (STF) and the Anti-Terror Squad (ATS), have been roped in to assist with the ongoing investigation, Director General of Police Rajeev Krishna said.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
10 arrested from six states for running inter-state religious conversion, radicalisation racket
Lucknow: While probing the mysterious disappearance of two sisters, aged 33 and 18, in Agra, Uttar Pradesh Police uncovered a sophisticated network involved in illegal religious conversions and radicalisation. The breakthrough led to a coordinated crackdown and the arrest of 10 operatives across six states, including fresh arrests on Saturday. The first arrest came of Shekhar Roy and Osama from Kolkata, who had trapped the two sisters from Agra and converted them. Their arrest led to the uncovering of the gang. Those arrested include a woman named SB Krishna from Goa, Shekhar Roy and Osama from Kolkata, Rehman Qureshi from Agra, Mohammed Ali, Ali and Junaid Qureshi from Jaipur, Abu Talib from Muzaffarnagar, Manoj from Delhi, and Abur Rehman from Dehradun. An Agra court granted a ten-day police custody remand for all the ten accused. Director general of police (DGP) Rajeev Krishna in Lucknow told reporters that the network operated through "love jihad" tactics, online radicalisation, and foreign funding from Canada, the USA, Dubai, and London, with transactions routed via dark web. "The network was funnelling money through the dark web and adopting tactics resembling the signature style of ISIS," the state police chief said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You To Read in 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Preliminary findings suggest that the group had active ties with banned outfits like PFI and SDPI, with handlers connected to Pakistan-based operatives. The DGP said that the action forms part of 'Mission Asmita', an internal initiative launched to confront emerging challenges, including alleged forced/deceitful conversion, online radicalisation, and funding channels purportedly exploiting "love jihad" tactics. "In the past, under this mission, we made arrests of Umar Gautam and Mufti Jahangir Alam, who were arrested by UP ATS in 2021 for running a pan-India religious conversion racket. The two were also convicted for a life term by a court in 2024," said another senior police officer. Agra police commissioner Deepak Kumar, who came all the way to Lucknow, said that it all began after an FIR was registered regarding the March disappearance of two sisters. It was lodged at Sadar Bazar police station, Agra, and later transferred for technical probes to the district cyber police station. Sections 87, 111(3), and 111(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sections 3/5 of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, were invoked. Investigators say evidence pointed to a wider organised operation spanning multiple states. "When we dug deeper, a pan-India syndicate surfaced. Forty-five teams were sent to Goa, West Bengal, Delhi, Uttarakhand, and Rajasthan, based on surveillance. We made arrests and found that the network allegedly targeted vulnerable women through emotional manipulation, facilitated radicalisation via curated content, and arranged conversions with necessary documentation. It provided safe houses, managed foreign funds from Canada and the US, and offered operational support, including new phones, SIM cards, legal assistance, and internal communication channels," said Kumar. "We will now conduct a sustained interrogation of the accused," said Kumar.
