A few women, who were converted to Islam by Chhangur Baba, on July 14 said that they were getting threats after returning to Hinduism.
"Abu Ansari introduced himself as Amit to me, and his family met me as a Hindu. I met Chhangur Baba for the first time in 2019. The atmosphere was very strange, and only women were there. They were brainwashed. Chhangur had carried out around 5,000 religious conversions," one of them said, according to news agency PTI.
Vishwa Hindu Raksha Parishad's international president, Gopal Rai, also said the reconverted women were getting death threats through social media and letters sent by speed post.
Uttar Pradesh Police's Anti-Terrorism Squad on July 5 arrested the alleged mastermind of a religious conversion gang, along with his aide.
Jalaluddin alias Chhangur Baba and Neetu alias Nasreen are natives of Madhpur in Balrampur district.
Earlier, a non-bailable warrant was issued by a court against Jalaluddin, while police declared a cash reward of Rs 50,000 on information leading to his arrest, authorities said.
The woman said that none of the people who got converted got any money.
Another woman who was also converted to Islam said she was made to marry a Muslim man.
"Those people wanted to make India an Islamic country by 2047," she said.
Rai claimed that he went to the Gomti Nagar Police Station to lodge a complaint, but he was not heard, and demanded security for himself and those who returned to the Hindu fold.
Rai said the people were reconverted to Hinduism by the VHP in a 'Ghar Wapsi' programme on July 3.
According to authorities, Jalaluddin's son Mehboob and another person named Naveen alias Jamaluddin were part of an organised network allegedly involved in converting Hindus and other non-Muslims to Islam.
Last Wednesday, illegal constructions linked to Chhangur Baba were razed.
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath described the actions of the accused as anti-social and "anti-national."
With inputs from PTI
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