MANDYA: A man has been accused of trying to forcibly convert his wife, mother-in-law Shruthi and her other family members to Christianity at Palahalli village in Srirangapatna taluk. He also allegedly brutally assaulted them with an iron rod for refusing. Based on a complaint, the police have registered an FIR.
Srikanth Kumar had reportedly been forcing his wife Lakshmi and her other family members to convert to Christianity and assaulted them. As per the complaint lodged by Lakshmi’s brother Ravikiran, Srikanth had constructed a church and was converting people by offering inducements.
Srikanth also allegedly harassed his wife to bring money from her parental home and the family had paid him Rs 25 lakh, with which he built the church, as per the complaint. According to the woman’s family, Srikanth had been converting people from Vokkaliga, Vishwakarma and Marathi communities over the last 10 years and has been getting huge funds.
Lakshmi said, “I will never convert to Christianity, I am a devotee of Goddess Chamundeshwari. My husband said he would look after me well if I convert and had even forcibly taken me to the church. His family has converted, but in the early days of marriage, there was no restriction on me. Later on, I was dissuaded from applying kumkum, celebrating any Hindu festival or even offer daily prayers”.
Her brother Ravikiran said, “Srikanth was forcing my sister to convert to Christianity, but now that he is being exposed, he targeted our family. He even threatened my sister of divorce. Over the last seven years, he has destroyed several families by offering inducements”.
Ravikiran further said Srikanth gets Rs 2-3 lakh for converting each family and had converted peopole in Srirangapatna, Pandavapura and Mysuru apart from over 100 people in Palahalli. “To avail government benefits, they retain their original names. Innocent people are targeted and brainwashed”.
