Chhattisgarh police arrested two Catholic nuns, Preeti Mary and Vandana Francis, from the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate order, on July 25, 2025, on allegations of human trafficking and forced religious conversion. The nuns were detained at Durg railway station while escorting three tribal girls to a convent in Agra for employment. The arrest followed a complaint filed by a Bajrang Dal member.
They have been booked under Section 4 of the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act, 1968 (which deals with conversion) and Section 143 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita concerning trafficking. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai claimed the nuns were involved in “human trafficking and conversion through inducement.” However, family members of the girls have stated that the girls had consented to go to Agra and denied any forceful conversion.
The arrests have triggered widespread condemnation from across the political spectrum, condemning what many called communal vigilantism. Members of both the ruling Left Democratic Front and the opposition United Democratic Front in Kerala organized dharnas outside Parliament. The Catholic Church and its official publication Deepika, along with other church organizations, have vocally denounced the arrests.
This incident adds to a series of controversies surrounding Christian missionary activities in India. Last year marked 25 years since the brutal killing of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his sons in Odisha. Despite constitutional guarantees protecting the right to practice and propagate religion, several states— including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Odisha—have invoked anti-conversion laws often misapplied to criminalize voluntary religious conversions and interfaith marriages.
In tribal regions such as Jharkhand, tensions exist between Adivasi communities, Christian converts, and Hindus. Hindutva groups, supported by RSS, urge tribals to reconnect with their Hindu roots, while tribal organizations resist such moves and seek recognition for the Sarna religion, fearing erosion of their cultural identity.
In Chhattisgarh, where Christians form around 2% of the population per the 2011 Census, debates are ongoing about whether tribal Christians should remain listed as Scheduled Tribes. In this complex environment, political, religious, and social groups are urged to prioritize economic development, job creation, and welfare over divisive issues. Government agencies should protect constitutional rights rather than undermine them.
