Dalit Girls, Fake Cases, and Caste Rates—India’s Conversion Mafia Exposed
On July 4, 2025, Uttar Pradesh’s Special Task Force (STF) and Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) revealed a chilling racket of illegal religious conversions led by a man known as Jamaluddin, alias Chhangur Baba, also self-styled as Sufi saint Jalaluddin. The case, disclosed by ADG Law and Order Amitabh Yash, exposes a disturbing pattern: vulnerable Dalit individuals, including 18 minor girls, were targeted with money, false promises, and threats.
The scheme involved coercion, harassment using fake police/court cases, and financial inducements—creating what investigators describe as a “conversion industry” with caste-based pricing. With Chhangur Baba currently on the run and his aides arrested, the operation has triggered public outrage and political heat. The incident has become one of the most high-profile cases under Uttar Pradesh’s amended anti-conversion law, passed in 2024.
ATS Probes Baba’s Links to Love Jihad, Land, and UAE Shells
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh: ADG Law and Order, Amitabh Yash says, "Chhangur Baba or Jamaluddin promoted themselves as Sufi saint Jalaluddin and have been involved in illegal religious conversions. STF’s detailed probe revealed they targeted individuals, including minors, lured them… pic.twitter.com/Iuo33T5Qek
— IANS (@ians_india) July 5, 2025
According to ADG Amitabh Yash, Jamaluddin alias Chhangur Baba used a carefully curated identity as a saint to exploit poor Dalits and minors. His gang lured people by offering cash, jobs, and gifts, and when persuasion failed, victims were reportedly threatened with fabricated police complaints and court cases. This racket, based in Lucknow and Balrampur, allegedly fixed conversion “rates” based on caste and gender.
One of the most shocking elements uncovered was how minors were systematically targeted, with 22 Dalit Hindus—18 of them girls—being converted. As reported, the victims named Chhangur Baba during the “Ghar Wapsi” (homecoming to Hinduism) event on July 3, 2025.
The gang’s operations didn’t stop at religious conversion. The ATS is investigating links to love jihad, land jihad, and money laundering. As per a past reports, Baba’s network was involved in acquiring land fraudulently and laundering illicit funds across UAE, Hong Kong, and BVI shell companies, pointing to an international web of crime.
Ghar Wapsi Blows Open Case, Baba Named as Conversion Kingpin
The turning point came when 12 victims underwent Ghar Wapsi in Lucknow, returning to Hinduism and naming Chhangur Baba as the kingpin. This prompted the STF and ATS to expand their investigation statewide. His aides, Jamaluddin and Mahboob Miyan, have been arrested, but the primary accused remains absconding.
This case comes in the wake of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which mandates life imprisonment for forced conversions involving minors, marriage, or trafficking. It also imposes penalties up to ₹10 lakh for conversions via illegal foreign funds. ADG Amitabh Yash, an officer known for handling high-risk criminal investigations, is spearheading enforcement, with the law now becoming a major tool against religious exploitation networks.
However, concerns also exist about potential misuse. Christian rights groups like Open Doors UK claim that minority persecution has increased under the new law. Still, in the case of Chhangur Baba, the evidence of systematic targeting of Dalits and minors has drawn widespread public and media support for the crackdown.
As the manhunt for Chhangur Baba intensifies, the case is emerging as a symbolic battle between faith manipulation and state enforcement in India’s most populous state. With elections approaching and rising concerns over identity politics, this scandal may further shape Uttar Pradesh’s social and political climate.
