Converted Christians return to Hindu fold in Bihar

Three of the dozen Hindus who converted to Christianity in two Bihar villages have returned to the Hindu fold after they were threatened with a social boycott, an official said Thursday.

Nearly a dozen poor Hindus, including women, were converted to Christianity at Barohiya village and Gangaldeh villages in Bhagalpur district, 200 km from here, early this week.

"Three of those who converted to Christianity have returned to Hindu fold at a 'ghar wapasi' (returning home) ceremony by the VHP," police official Durgesh Kumar said.

He has denied that villagers threatened those converted and said that the village is peaceful.

"Police have been closely monitoring the situation in the village and will not allow any one to create trouble," he said.

But a villager, who did not want to be quoted, said that those converted to Christianity were given an ultimatum of social boycott by the villagers.

Rakesh Sinha, a local Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader, said the three were persuaded by a VHP team to return to Hindu fold.

Right-wing Hindu organisations have alleged that Christian missionaries allured them to convert by promising them money.

Sinha said the VHP, Bajrang Dal and the RSS will protest against Hindus being converted to Christianity by allurement.

A probe began Wednesday after Bhagalpur District Magistrate Virendra Prasad Yadav had ordered to look into the conversions.

According to villagers, those converted had been suffering from some health problems and were suggested to follow Christian practices as remedial measures, and hence they converted.