{"id":2655863,"date":"2026-09-08T10:11:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T14:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pastor-charged-in-india-for-supposed-illegal-conversion-of-hindus\/"},"modified":"2026-09-08T10:13:59","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T14:13:59","slug":"pastor-charged-in-india-for-supposed-illegal-conversion-of-hindus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pastor-charged-in-india-for-supposed-illegal-conversion-of-hindus\/","title":{"rendered":"Pastor Charged in India for Supposed Illegal Conversion of Hindus"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fpastor-charged-in-india-for-supposed-illegal-conversion-of-hindus%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2655863&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A brief article discusses an incident involving Pastor Pankaj Devnoor, of Indian descent and based in the UK, who was temporarily charged in india for allegedly attempting to convert Hindus to Christianity. The charges arose during a church event in Maharashtra, India, where hindu nationalists accused him of forcible conversion, but the case was dismissed once it was clarified that the anti-conversion law had not yet taken effect. Despite the charges being dropped, Devnoor remains restricted from leaving India without court approval and must regularly check in with authorities. The article highlights concerns about the rise of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pope-francis-meets-with-indian-prime-minister-narendra-modi\/\" title=\"Pope Francis Meets with ... Prime Minister Narendra Modi\">anti-conversion laws<\/a> across indian states, systemic discrimination against Christians, and the role of social media in fueling false narratives. It underscores the tension between religious freedom and growing nationalist sentiments, wich often target Christian evangelism and conversion activities.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>A pastor of Indian descent who lives in the United Kingdom was charged in India for allegedly illegally converting Hindus to the Christian faith.<\/p>\n<p>But the law under which he was charged had not yet entered effect at the time of his charging.<\/p>\n<p>Pastor Pankaj Devnoor, associated with the Anglican Episcopal Church International in Manchester, United Kingdom, had charges filed against him on Aug. 7, per a <a href=\"https:\/\/persecution.org\/2026\/08\/24\/uk-pastor-booked-on-bizarre-charges\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">report<\/a> from International Christian Concern.<\/p>\n<p>He had been attending a 10-day church event in Pune, Maharashtra, India, when a crowd of Hindu nationalists accused Devnoor of breaking the forthcoming law.<\/p>\n<p>The Hindus entered the premises where the church event was occurring and claimed Devnoor was forcibly converting their coreligionists.<\/p>\n<p>The police were summoned to the event.<\/p>\n<p>One of the Hindu protesters claimed Devnoor was using Hindu music and terminology to lure them into becoming Christians.<\/p>\n<p>The charges were dropped after it became clear that the anti-conversion law was slated to enter into effect on Aug. 28.<\/p>\n<p>While it had received presidential assent on July 31, the law was not in effect when Devnoor was charged.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the charges being dropped,\u00a0Devnoor is not currently allowed to leave India without court permission.<\/p>\n<p>He must also check in regularly with a local police station.<\/p>\n<p>The legal team representing\u00a0Devnoor disputed the claims that he was trying to forcibly convert people, noting that he was merely participating in a church prayer event.<\/p>\n<p>The case against Devnoor is one of many recent examples of Hindu nationalist mobs trying to weaponize sympathetic police against Christians.<\/p>\n<p>Open Doors <a href=\"https:\/\/www.opendoors.org\/en-US\/persecution\/countries\/india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">notes<\/a> that \u201cto religious nationalists, to be Indian is to be Hindu, and that leaves no place for Christianity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe result is systemic discrimination and violence, particularly against converts,\u201d the ministry says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSocial media is gravely exacerbating the problem, with accusations, disinformation and attacks often going viral and perpetuating false narratives around Christianity. Evangelistic activities are extremely risky.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Indian states have increasingly been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/christian-persecution-increased-worldwide-in-2021\/\" title=\"Christian Persecution Increased Worldwide in 2021\">passing anti-conversion laws<\/a>, threatening Christians with arrest and prosecution if they are accused of forcible conversion even during a regular church event, such as a prayer meeting.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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