Kanpur: Five people have been arrested for allegedly pressuring residents to convert by selling low-cost plots and assaulting an e-rickshaw driver and his family in Gujaini Kachchi Basti in Kanpur after they opposed their bid. The accused were sent to jail after provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act were added to the case.The arrests followed a complaint by Sonu Jatav, who alleged that the accused assaulted him and his family on Monday night after he opposed religious conversion and asked them to remove a mazar allegedly built forcibly inside his house.The accused were identified as Shamim, his son Sheebu, Arman, Arsalan and Amir Khan. A search is on for other accused.DCP Deependra Nath Chaudhary said police initially registered a case under provisions related to assault. After allegations that residents were pressured to convert were found to be true, provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act were added, he said.Shamim allegedly encroached on green-belt land beneath a high-tension line after moving to the settlement seven to eight years ago. He subsequently settled 25 families from his community there and allegedly sold plots illegally to poor Hindu families for Rs 40,000 to Rs 70,000.Several people were also accommodated for a monthly rent of Rs 2,000, and those unable to pay were allegedly pressured to convert.Following the assault allegations, members of the BJP, Hindu Jagran Manch, VHP and Bajrang Dal protested and surrounded the police station.
