Bhopal: Police on May 22 arrested three Christians for allegedly conducting conversions by force and hurting religious sentiments.

Pastor V A Anthony of Brethren Assembly and his wife Prabha, and another woman were taken into custody on a written complaint from three residents of Goraiya a village in Satna district. The accused were later sent to judicial custody after a local court rejected their bail application.

Rambhan Adivasi, Hemraj Varma and Prashant Gupta alleged that they were promised jobs after converting to Christianity a fortnight ago but felt hurt when the pastor tried to tear images of Hindu gods during Sunday prayers at the hall.

Local people said police were accompanied by right-wing activists during the arrests.

Pastor Anthony lives in Satna, a cement-producing city, but conducts weekly prayers in Aber, 26 km northeast.

Madhya Pradesh State Backward Classes Commission member Laxmi Yadav said he was present at the Kotar Police Station when the First Information Report was registered.

“I will ensure that the sedition charge is invoked against Pastor Anthony because it’s clear from the complaint that he spoke against the nation,’’ Yadav told The Indian Express.

Three week ago, Yadav, who enjoys minister of state status, Bajrang Dal activists and police had entered a church in Satna and stopped a wedding, alleging that the girl was minor.

In the latest FIR, the complainants were quoted as saying that the accused allegedly asked them to convert before insulting Hindu gods and the religion.

Satna Superintendent of Police Mithilesh Shukla said the three Christians were booked under Sections 295 A of the IPC (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) and Sections 3 and 4 of the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act.

According to Pastor Sam Samuel, who is an accused in the church-wedding case, police and right-wing activists stopped a vehicle carrying Pastor Anthony when he was returning to Satna. He alleged that the activists roughed up the pastor and were present in the police station and court until the bail plea was rejected.

Bajrang Dal leader Rajbahadur Mishra said Pastor Anthony had been booked previously, too, in a case of forced conversion. Shukla said police are checking previous records but denied that the Christians were roughed up.