Police: The authorities at the central and state levels have launched an investigation into the disturbing reports of an alleged gang exploiting online gaming applications to target impressionable young minds and entice them into changing their religion. The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Uttar Pradesh government have reportedly requested a detailed report on this concerning issue. The action comes in the wake of the Uttar Pradesh police arresting an individual connected to the purported use of an online gaming application to target children and teenagers for religious conversion. The UP police have claimed to have dismantled a conversion racket that specifically preyed on vulnerable and easily influenced individuals.
Alleged Exploitation of Online Gaming to Target Children for Religious Conversion Under Investigation
Both the central and state governments have taken serious note of the matter, and a thorough investigation is currently underway to determine the extent of the conversions resulting from the gang’s modus operandi, as reported by Live Hindustan, a sister publication of HT.
On Sunday, a cleric from a mosque in the Sanjay Nagar area of Ghaziabad was apprehended. The police have initiated a manhunt to apprehend the second suspect, who is reportedly from Thane, Maharashtra.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in Ghaziabad, Nipun Agarwal, stated, “On May 30, a case of religious conversion was registered at Kavi Nagar Police Station, involving two individuals identified as Shahnawaz Khan, also known as Baddo, a resident of Thane, Maharashtra, and Nanni, also known as Abdul Rehman, a Maulvi at a mosque in the Sanjay Nagar area. Rehman has been arrested.”
During the investigation, the role of Rehman in the conversion of a minor Jain boy and two Hindu boys was uncovered, and the police have seized electronic evidence and related affidavits pertaining to these incidents, added the DCP of Ghaziabad City.
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According to the police official, the online game employed by the perpetrators required users to recite verses from the Quran in order to win. Furthermore, the teenage gamers were exposed to videos featuring radical Muslim preachers Zakir Naik and Tariq Jameel.
Zakir Naik, who is wanted in several cases related to money laundering and promoting hate speech, fled the country in 2016.
“The accused also engaged in conversations with the young gamers through a chat application, where they were shown videos of Zakir Naik and Tariq Jameel in an attempt to persuade them to convert,” explained the DCP of Ghaziabad City.
A team has been dispatched to Maharashtra in pursuit of the accused Shahnawaz Khan, and further investigations are currently underway.
UP Police Exposes Alarming Modus Operandi of Religious Conversion Through Gaming App, Unveiling the Sinister and Manipulative Scheme
In a disturbing revelation, the authorities are investigating reports of a gang utilizing online gaming applications to specifically target children, aiming to manipulate their vulnerable minds and influence them into changing their religious beliefs. The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Uttar Pradesh government have taken notice of these allegations and have requested a comprehensive report on the matter. This development follows the recent arrest made by the UP police in connection with the alleged use of an online gaming application for religious conversion among children and teenagers. The police claim to have uncovered a conversion racket that specifically preys on young, impressionable individuals.
Prompted by the seriousness of the situation, both the central and state governments have launched a thorough investigation to ascertain the true extent of the conversions resulting from the modus operandi employed by this gang. HT’s sister publication, Live Hindustan, has been actively reporting on this issue.On Sunday, a cleric from a mosque in the Sanjay Nagar area of Ghaziabad was apprehended, while a manhunt has been initiated to capture the second accused, believed to be from Thane in Maharashtra.
Nipun Agarwal, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in Ghaziabad, revealed, “On May 30, a case of religious conversion was registered at Kavi Nagar Police Station, naming two individuals identified as Shahnawaz Khan, also known as Baddo, a resident of Thane, Maharashtra, and Nanni, also known as Abdul Rehman, a Maulvi at a mosque in the Sanjay Nagar area. Rehman has been arrested.”
During the investigation, it was discovered that Rehman played a role in converting a minor Jain boy and two Hindu boys. The police have seized electronic evidence and affidavits related to these incidents, strengthening their case against the accused, as stated by the DCP of Ghaziabad City.According to police officials, the online game utilized by the gang required users to recite verses from the Quran to achieve victory. In addition, teenage gamers were exposed to videos featuring radical Muslim preachers Zakir Naik and Tariq Jameel.