Two Kerala nuns arrested in Chhattisgarh on charges of human trafficking, amid surge in attacks on Christians

The nuns — Sister Vandana and Sister Preethi — belong to the Syro-Malabar Church’s Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate and were travelling with three girls reportedly being taken for domestic work. Local residents, suspecting foul play, alerted the police. During questioning, one of the girls claimed she had been taken without her consent, and none of them carried Aadhaar identification.

The nuns, who work at Fatima Hospital in Agra, maintained that a family member was accompanying them and therefore they hadn’t carried additional IDs.

The case is among the 834 reported attacks on Christians in India so far in 2024, as documented by civil society groups, underscoring growing tensions and scrutiny over missionary activities and conversions.

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Similar arrest barely a week ago

In another recent incident, a Kerala native was arrested in Uttar Pradesh’s Mirzapur district on Tuesday, July 22, in an alleged illegal religious conversion case. The arrest followed a June 22 FIR at Vindhyachal police station. According to Circle Officer Vivek Jawla, the accused, identified as Vijay Kumar, allegedly claimed to be a priest and was accused by a local of converting his wife and two sons by promising money, jobs, and health benefits. Two others had been arrested earlier in connection with the same case.

Police have invoked provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act in the matter.

Amid rising hostility, several clergy members across northern India have been informally advised to avoid travelling in religious attire to prevent confrontations or targeted violence.

(Edited by Ananya with inputs from Sreelakshmi Soman)