In Lucknow’s Nigoha, what seemed like an ordinary prayer hall has turned into the epicentre of a major controversy after police unearthed a large-scale religious conversion racket. The case revolves around Malkhan, now known as Mathews, who allegedly lured hundreds of Dalits into Christianity over the last two years by promising miraculous healing from incurable illnesses. According to investigators, the operation was not only well-structured but also carefully hidden under the guise of spiritual gatherings called “changai sabha,” or healing meetings.
The hall where these meetings were conducted was far from modest. Despite its rural surroundings, it was fitted with modern windows, solar panels for uninterrupted electricity, large speakers, an orchestra setup, and walls adorned with posters of Jesus Christ. Inside, mats and chairs were arranged for villagers, and stacks of Bibles in Hindi lay ready for distribution. Every Sunday, villagers flocked to this hall, where water was sprinkled on them during rituals, and claims of miraculous cures were made. Several attendees, especially women, testified that their chronic ailments disappeared after these gatherings, which deepened their faith in Mathews’s so-called healing powers.
The police stumbled upon the racket during a women’s safety campaign under Mission Shakti when they noticed something unusual: many women attending the sessions no longer wore traditional Hindu marital symbols like sindoor or bindi. This prompted officers to dig deeper, eventually uncovering a meticulously planned conversion network. Testimonies suggest that Mathews specifically targeted poor and Dalit families, exploited their desperation for medical relief, and spent thousands of rupees per session to provide food and drinks. He also allegedly built a commission-based network of agents who were rewarded for bringing in new attendees.
Investigations have revealed that Mathews himself, originally from a Scheduled Caste background, converted to Christianity in 2016. Despite renouncing idol worship, he and many of his followers continued to avail themselves of Scheduled Caste benefits, raising further concerns. Police are now scrutinising his bank accounts to trace the funding, with possible links to Kerala and even foreign entities under the scanner. Authorities confirmed that Mathews admitted to carrying out conversions, and he has been booked under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act for orchestrating mass conversions and targeting women, children, and Dalits.
What makes the situation more alarming is that locals claim this is not an isolated case. The region, including Mohanlalganj and Nigoha, has allegedly been a hub for such activities for nearly three decades. From just one church in the 1990s, the area now has five major churches and over a hundred smaller prayer halls operating discreetly in homes and fields. While Mathews alone is believed to have converted around 500 individuals, police suspect the larger network may have influenced over a thousand villagers, pointing to the deep and widespread nature of the issue.
