Ahead of global summit, MP police increase vigilance in sensitive areas

Move comes in backdrop of recent incidence of conversion in state

Ahead of Global Investors Summit, state police have now become more vigilant in riot-prone or sensitive areas after recent incidence of conversion and following arrest of four members of a family.

Meanwhile, some Hindu outfits like Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal have ritually restored two of the accused namely Maniram Jatav and Tularam Jatav into their own religious faith soon after they were granted bail from Khaniyandhana police station.

Maniram's son Keshav alias Qasimand his brother have reportedly refused to participate in the ritual and be re-converted into Hinduism. The members of Bukarra village in Khaniyadhana police locality of Shivpuri district were converted to Islam recently and were arrested the other night in Shivpuri which is otherwise a peaceful town.

"A town like Shivpuri normally remains peaceful and barely poses any risk of communal disturbance, but other towns like Khandwa, Bhopal, Indore and Raisen are sensitive and police have now become more vigilant to see such incidences should not take place," a highly placed police official said.

Khandwa, which is in close proximity of Indore had a series of communal disturbance in the recent past.

Indore will be hosting Global Investors Summit during October 8-10 this year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the summit. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has extended invitation to him today in New Delhi.

Another town Raisen, in vicinity of Bhopal, has similar communal disturbance recently.

"Police is also looking for one accused who provoked conversion and will see if the suspect had tried to lure them financially," another police source said.

Four members were arrested after they told a local court that they had not been forced for conversion. Police had detained seven others for questioning.

Tularam Jatav, his son Keshav and relatives Manikram and Makhubhai Jatav were arrested on Wednesday under the state's Freedom of Religion Act, which legally mandates all citizens to take district administration verification before conversions followed by state government's permission.

Any violation to the act warrants imprisonment for two years.

Jatav family had approached the court on Tuesday to ascertain that they were converting willingly but a group of activists from VHP and Bajrang Dal registered protest. Following which an FIR was lodged against the Jatav family members.

"Primary investigations reveal that Jatavs were converted to Islam few days ago without furnishing any necessary legal procedure," a police official said.

Other police sources said Tularam Jatav had been converted to Islam two years ago but later pulled back to settle a property dispute and later after a year he converted to Islam with his family members.