Family Attacked Over Forced Conversion Attempts

Mandya: A case of coercion and violence has come to light in Palahalli village of Srirangapatna taluk, with police filing an FIR against Srikanth Kumar for allegedly assaulting his wife, Lakshmi, and her mother-in-law, Shruthi, with an iron rod.

According to a complaint lodged by Lakshmi’s brother, Ravikiran, the attack followed their refusal to convert to Christianity which is a demand Kumar had reportedly pressed on the family for years.

Ravikiran’s complaint paints a broader picture of Kumar’s activities, alleging he built a church with Rs. 25 lakh extracted from Lakshmi’s family under the pretext of financial need. Over the past decade, Kumar is said to have targeted Vokkaliga, Vishwakarma, and Marathi communities, converting over 100 individuals in Palahalli alone and others in Srirangapatna, Pandavapura, and Mysuru.

Ravikiran claims Kumar received Rs 2-3 lakh per family conversion, using inducements and retaining original names to secure government benefits. “He preys on vulnerable people, brainwashing them,” Ravikiran stated, noting that Kumar’s actions have fractured numerous families.

Lakshmi, a staunch devotee of Goddess Chamundeshwari, recounted her ordeal. “My husband promised a better life if I converted and even dragged me to his church. Early in our marriage, I faced no restrictions, but later he banned me from wearing kumkum, celebrating Hindu festivals, or praying,” she claimed.

She alleges Kumar threatened divorce when she resisted and that his own family had already converted. Ravikiran added that Kumar’s recent aggression escalated as his activities came under scrutiny.