Ten Catholics detained in the Indian state of Rajasthan have regained their freedom after spending more than one hundred days in prison accused of “conversion” and “attempted murder,” following an incident that occurred on May 1, when a group of Hindu activists stormed a Mass being celebrated in a church of the diocese of Udaipur.
The faithful returned to their homes on the night of August 13, after the Rajasthan High Court ordered their release on bail. The bishop of Udaipur, Bishop Devprasad John Ganawa, explained to EWTN News that the community is “happy and relieved” after the Catholics remained imprisoned for more than one hundred days under accusations that the prelate considers false.
Read also: India tightens pressure against Christians: four Catholics detained for alleged forced conversions
An intrusion during Communion ended with the Catholics detained
The events date back to the afternoon of May 1. According to the account given by the parish priest, Father Arvind Amliyar, a group of Hindu activists entered the church of Kalinjara while Communion was being distributed and began recording those present and accusing them of carrying out religious conversions.
The priest stated that one of the men even pulled out a knife, which was taken away by the parishioners before they expelled the group from the church.
Members of a Hindu Sena group, for their part, claimed that they had gone to the place after receiving information about alleged conversion activities and cow sacrifice. The Banswara police later stated that they had opened an investigation and collected evidence at the scene.
However, the police action ultimately turned against the Catholics themselves. Parish members were detained during the nights of May 1 and 3 and accused of conversion and attempted murder. Ten of them were finally placed in judicial custody.
“Our people are victims of the anti-conversion law. Our legal team pursued the case after the district court denied bail. We thank God because they are now out of jail,” Bishop Ganawa told EWTN News.
“The days in prison have only strengthened us in the faith”
The bail order was issued on August 12 by the Rajasthan High Court and reached the Kushalgarh prison the following day. Father Amliyar personally went to receive the detainees.
“It was certainly a day of great joy for us,” the priest said, who during the months of imprisonment had made continuous trips to stay in contact with the legal team handling the case.
The detainees spent a total of 104 days in prison. During that time, he recounted, the ten faithful remained distributed in different cells and were unable to pray together.
Far from weakening them, the experience, they indicate, has strengthened their faith.
Rajasthan’s anti-conversion law
The case unfolds in the context of the legislation against religious conversions in force in Rajasthan, a state governed by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, which came into force in 2025, establishes restrictions on conversions considered unlawful. One of its most controversial aspects is the reversal of the burden of proof: it is up to the accused to demonstrate that a conversion did not occur in an illegal manner, a circumstance that makes it difficult to obtain bail in lower courts.
The constitutionality of the law is also being challenged before the Supreme Court of India. In November 2025, the high court notified the Government of Rajasthan of several lawsuits against the legislation, including one filed by the Jaipur Catholic Welfare Society.
The anti-conversion laws in force in different states of India have for years provoked protests from Church leaders and Christian organizations, who denounce their use against priests, missionaries, and faithful under accusations of proselytism.
Read also: The persecution of Indian Christians intensifies with the ‘anti-conversion laws’
Detentions that are repeated in other states of India
The episode in Rajasthan is not an isolated case. Accusations of illegal conversions have led in other states to prolonged detentions that have not necessarily resulted in convictions.
One such case was that of Father Babu Francis, director of the diocesan society for development and welfare of the diocese of Allahabad, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. The priest was detained on October 1, 2023, after going to a police station to inquire about the situation of his driver, who had been held by the police.
The officers were looking for the driver’s brother, a pastor reported by a Hindu activist for alleged conversions after holding prayers in a home. The investigation ended with several people detained and accused of conversion and attempted murder, including the priest himself.
The Allahabad High Court finally granted bail to Father Francis 82 days later, shortly before Christmas 2023.
The use of anti-conversion laws has been a cause for concern for the Church in India for years. In 2024, representative bodies of the country’s Catholics denounced the increase in attacks, the destruction of churches and homes, and harassment against Christian institutions through accusations of conversion.
The release of the ten Catholics from Kalinjara closes, for now, more than three months of pretrial detention, but the judicial proceedings continue and the charges brought against them have not been withdrawn.