Three held for using gaming bait for religious conversions in UP

Lucknow, July 4 Three persons have been arrested here by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (UP ATS) for using an online gaming app for forced religious conversions.

The three accused are Nazim Hasan, Sadiq and Azhar Malik and they were arrested on Monday, said police.

This is the second case in the state where online gaming served as a bait to lure in the target in a conversion attempt.

Last month in Ghaziabad, a minor was reportedly converted by enticing him through gaming.

Additional DG, ATS, Naveen Arora, said that the accused Nazim Hasan allegedly converted his client Somdutt's son Gaurav.

"Nazim used to give some medicines to Somdutt during his visit to their house and got in touch with his son Gaurav, who had passed Class 12 and was busy looking for a part-time job," said Arora.

ATS officials said that taking advantage of his desperation for a job, Nazim asked him to play an online 'carrom' game.

"He was asked to play with an unknown person online and lost initially. Later, he was asked to 'recite Allah's name' and recite some verses of the Quran and he won this time. Later, Nazim brainwashed him saying that it was Allah's wish that he won," said an ATS officer.

This continued for a month before a woman claiming to be from an online firm called up Gaurav and offered him a job in Bengaluru, based on his performance in the online game. Gaurav's trip to Bengaluru was sponsored by Nazim's aides Sadiq and Azhar Malik, said ATS officials.

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