Lucknow, Sep 6: An FIR was regisreted against 271 people for allegedly promoting conversion to the Christianity by spreading misinformation about Hinduism, the Uttar Pradesh police said on Thursday. The case was registered at Chandwak police station in Jaunpur district of the state, following a local court's order on a plea by a Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM) worker.

"The FIR was lodged on Wednesday against a total of 271 persons for various penal offences like cheating, defiling places of worship and prejudicing national integration," Additional Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar Pandey was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. Jaunpur natives Durga Prasad Yadav, Kirit Rai and Jitendra Ramone are among those who are named in the FIR.

Brijesh Singh, advocate of the complainant, accused the people named in the FIR of convincing people from Jaunpur, Varanasi, Azamgarh and Ghazipur districts for the last few years to visit a church in Baldeh village and attend the prayers there. He alleged the accused used to spread various misinformation about Hinduism and convince them to embrace Christianity.

Singh had moved the court on August 2, seeking its direction to the police for lodging the FIR in the matter. The court allowed the plea on August 31 and asked police to lodge an FIR and investigate the matter.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 06, 2018 09:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).