A Keralite priest of the CSI Church, his family and other associates, who were arrested on charges of forced religious conversion at Shingori village in Maharashtra’s Amravati district, got bail on Wednesday (December 31, 2025).
Sudhir William, originally from Thiruvananthapuram and based in Nagpur for five years, travelled to Shingori for a prayer meet at the house of a local resident, Ritesh Bondre, on Tuesday (December 30). According to a complaint filed by one Laxman Devidas Shede, a resident of Shingori, and members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajarang Dal, Mr. William allegedly urged the gathering to convert to Christianity.
CSI Church says efforts on to free Malayali priest, wife arrested in Maharashtra
The FIR, accessed by The Hindu, stated, “The resident of Shingori, Ritesh Bondre, had put up a gazibo in front of his house. Around 6 p.m., a person wearing a white dress was discussing Christianity. He was telling the people about converting to their religion and receiving a job and money in return. I also asked Ritesh about the guest, he replied, ‘They came for my birthday’.”
A video surfaced online showing members of the VHP and Bajrang Dal searching the car of a guest who had arrived from Nagpur and objecting to flags bearing a cross sign. “Do these denote symbols of Hinduism,” a person could be heard in the clip.
