WB: Offering money as an inducement for religious conversion, and beating those who protested.

Alleged Forced Conversion Attempt Sparks Violence in Amta, Raises Alarm Over Silent Proselytisation in Rural Bengal.

Upal Koley | HENB | Amta | Jan 13, 2026:: An incident of alleged forced religious conversion accompanied by violence has surfaced from Amta in Howrah district, intensifying concerns over what locals describe as a silent but systematic proselytisation drive in several rural pockets of West Bengal.

According to police and local sources, a young Hindu man was allegedly pressured to convert to Christianity with monetary inducements and was brutally assaulted when he resisted. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon in the Chandni Ghoshpara area of Amta, leaving three village youths injured.

Incident Details: Money Offer, Pressure, and Assault

The victim’s family has accused a group of men and women of persistently urging the youth to abandon his faith and embrace Christianity. The situation escalated when the young man protested against the pressure.

Tanay Ghosh, the complainant and father of the injured youth Sayan Ghosh, stated:

“That afternoon, my son and I were in the neighbourhood when several men and women approached us. They forcibly asked my son to convert to Christianity and even offered him money to change his religion. When my son protested, they started beating him.”

He further alleged that when Sayan’s friends attempted to intervene and protect him, they too were attacked. Three youths sustained injuries in the assault.

Police Action and Arrests

Following the complaint filed at Amta Police Station, cases were registered against 11 accused persons under multiple sections of the law. Acting swiftly, the police arrested Radheshyam Sharma and Asit Manna in connection with the incident.

On Monday, the arrested individuals were produced before the Uluberia court, which remanded them to 14 days of judicial custody. Investigations are ongoing, and the police have indicated that further arrests may follow based on evidence and witness statements.

The victim’s family has demanded strict punishment for all those involved, alleging organised and deliberate coercion.

Allegations of Organised Proselytisation in Rural Bengal

This incident has once again brought into focus allegations of covert conversion networks operating across rural West Bengal. Local residents and community members claim that several Christian evangelist groups are active in districts such as South and North 24 Parganas, Nadia, East Midnapore, Purulia, Howrah, and Hooghly, particularly in Hindu-majority areas.

According to these allegations, evangelist workers—many of whom reportedly continue to use Hindu names even after conversion—organise daily prayer meetings, faith-healing camps, and religious gatherings. They are accused of targeting economically vulnerable Hindu families by offering money, promises of healing, and assurances of a better life. In most cases, such assurances and help turn out to be fake or false healing, and no help is provided after the conversion takes place.

Locals further allege that these groups frequently insult Hindu deities, spread venom against Hindu traditions and culture, and exploit poverty through inducements. Notably, residents claim that such evangelist activities are conspicuously absent in Muslim-dominated areas, raising questions about selective targeting.

Growing Concern and Demand for Vigilance

The Amta incident has sparked unease among residents and social organisations, who argue that forced or inducement-based conversions violate constitutional values of free will and religious freedom. They have called for closer monitoring of religious activities, stricter enforcement of existing laws, and protection of vulnerable communities from coercion.

As the investigation continues, the Amta case is being viewed as a critical test for law enforcement in addressing allegations of forced conversion and maintaining communal harmony in the state.

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_Inputs from Bartaman.