Malayali Nuns Arrest in Chhattisgarh: FIR Reveals Grave Charges, Families Cry Foul

Chhattisgarh/ Kerala: A disturbing picture is emerging from Chhattisgarh, where two Malayali nuns have been arrested on charges of forced religious conversion. The FIR, now public, lists Sister Preethi as the first accused and Sister Vandana Francis as the second, invoking Section 4 of the anti-conversion law, a provision that carries a punishment of up to 10 years in prison. Sukhman Mandavi, the brother of one of the girls allegedly involved, has been named the third accused.

But what began as a routine trip to bring girls for work at a convent has spiraled into a storm of allegations, abuse, and constitutional concerns.

As details continue to surface, the brother of one of the girls has come forward with a chilling account. According to him, both the girls and the nuns were physically assaulted by a group of five men right in front of the police. He says he, too, was attacked, hit on the face and neck, subjected to verbal abuse, and left bruised and shaken.

He further alleged that the police coerced the girls into making statements that they were being forcibly converted.

The attackers, he claims, hurled vile insults at the nuns, calling them a “rotting sore feeding on society.” These acts, committed openly and allegedly with police complicity, have shocked many and raised serious questions about the state’s treatment of religious minorities under a BJP-led government.

Amid rising public outrage, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has written a strongly worded letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding immediate intervention to ensure justice for the arrested nuns. He noted that family members have not been allowed to speak with the nuns since their arrest, and highlighted the lack of transparency in the case.

Vijayan called for a fair, transparent process and urged the Prime Minister to ensure that constitutional values are upheld.

Kerala Ministers Meet Nun’s Family, Slam “Unconstitutional Arrest”

Back home in Kerala, ministers P Rajeev and Roshi Augustine visited the home of Sister Preethi Mary, a native of Elavoor parish in Angamaly. Both condemned the arrest, calling it a blatant violation of fundamental rights and an affront to religious freedom.

“This is not just a Christian community issue,” said Minister Roshi Augustine. “This is an attack on the basic freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution.”

Minister Rajeev added that the state government would stand firmly with the family and explore every possible legal route to secure justice.

Jins, the brother of Sister Vandana Francis from Kannur, echoed the growing concerns. He said the girls involved were already followers of the Christian faith, and questioned the very basis of the accusations.

According to him, the girls were beaten, intimidated, and manipulated into altering their testimonies.

The case has triggered a national debate on religious freedom, police complicity, and political targeting of minorities. What began as an unremarkable journey to a convent has now become a flashpoint exposing deep fault lines in India’s secular fabric.