Mapusa police detained the leader of a Christian denomination based in Sodiem-Siolim on Thursday on suspicion of illicit religious conversion and inciting religious passions.

Mapusa Police filed a case against Dominic D’Souza, Joan Mascarenhas, and unknown associates of Dominic D’Souza under Sections 153A, 295-A, 506 (ii) R/w 34, IPC, and Sections 3, 4 of The Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act 1954 in response to a complaint of alleged religious conversion. D’Souza was later arrested in connection with this incident.

Prakash Krishna Khobrekar, who lives near Rastroli Temple in Cunchelim, claimed in his police complaint that the accused persuaded him to abandon his religious views and convert to a religion practised and preached by the accused.

Khobrekar also claimed that the defendant made gestures by expressing words, acts, and threats with the objective of hurting his religious sensibilities and promoting religious dissension.

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