A Christian couple were booked for alleged hate speech by the Karnataka police in Kanakpura, Ramanagara district of Karnataka on Tuesday night. The priest Barnabas and his wife B Baby were booked after an alleged complaint by Sri Ram Sene workers.
However, when Siasat.com spoke to the Superintendent of Police K Santosh Babu, he said that a suo moto FIR (First Information Report) was registered against the couple.
Confirming that the couple were being questioned regarding forceful conversion, he said that no arrests have been made so far and the enquiry is still going on.
A case has been registered under Section 295A (Whoever, with the deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class of insults or attempts to insult the religion or the religious beliefs of that class) has been registered.
On November 1, at least 12 persons were arrested for attempting religious conversions of tribals in the same village.
According to police, after gathering specific inputs, a team of its personnel conducted raids and made the arrests.
Hindu activists for a long time have been alleging forceful conversions in the region by Christian missionaries. Earlier attempts to build the tallest statue of Jesus in the world in Kapalabetta in Kanakapura taluk were made.
Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other Hindu organisations had announced agitation against the statue.
The Karnataka High Court later gave a stay order on the construction work and gave directions that no work should be carried out without its permission.
