Shivamogga, Feb 7 (IANS): The Karnataka Police have arrested a pastor who attempted to convert a family to Christianity in Shivamogga district of the state, the police said on Monday.

The arrested person has been identified as 34-year-old Madhu, a resident of Kashipura Layout in Shivamogga. A case has been registered in the Vinobanagar police station of Shivamogga district. According to police, the accused pastor has forced a family to convert to Christianity in the pretext of curing their three-year-old child of a disease.

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The three-year-old child of a resident of Bommanakatte suffered from a disease and though the family approached many doctors, they could not find a solution. Taking advantage of this fact, the pastor told the family members that religious conversion from Hindu religion to Christianity is the only solution for their problem.

The accused Madhu also allegedly asked the family to remove all images of Hindu gods from their home, and told them to carry out prayers for Jesus Christ. He had also given them religious books and asked them to follow Christianity, according to police.

The locals have complained about this to the Vinobanagar police station. The police have taken him to custody on charges of forceful conversions and they have also booked him under illegal construction of a building in Bommanakatte area.

A case has been registered against the accused under IPC Sections 417 (cheating), 295 (a) (whoever, with the intention of wounding the feelings of any person or of insulting religion of any person are likely to be wounded, or that the religion of any person is likely to be insulted, there by commits any trespass in any place of worship).