'ISIS-Style' Religious Conversion Racket Busted By UP Police, 10 Arrested Across 6 States

Last Updated:July 19, 2025, 17:31 IST

The Agra Police Commissioner claim that the racket received funding from foreign countries, including the United States and Canada

Out of the ten people arrested, three were caught in Rajasthan, two each in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, and one each in Delhi, Uttarakhand, and Goa.

The Uttar Pradesh Police have busted a large-scale illegal religious conversion and radicalisation racket that, according to officials, operated in a manner similar to ISIS. Ten people have been arrested from six different states as part of the operation.

The investigation began in Agra in March after two sisters, aged 33 and 18, were reported missing. Police later discovered that they had allegedly been coerced into changing their religion and were being radicalised.

According to Agra Commissioner of Police Deepak Kumar, one of the sisters had even used a social media profile picture showing a girl holding an AK-47 rifle.

“Preliminary investigations found that the sisters were targeted by a gang involved in ‘love jihad’ and radicalisation," he said.

The Agra Police Commissioner also claim that the racket received funding from foreign countries, including the United States and Canada.

“We also found clues about their funding originating from America and Canada," he stated.

The arrested individuals are suspected to have played various roles in the network, including receiving illegal funds, providing shelter, giving legal advice, and facilitating the conversion and radicalisation process.

Out of the ten people arrested, three were caught in Rajasthan, two each in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, and one each in Delhi, Uttarakhand, and Goa.

“The modus operandi of the gang involved illegal conversion and radicalization bears a signature of ISIS," Commissioner Kumar said.

Due to the seriousness of the case, the UP Police have brought in specialised units, including the Special Task Force (STF) and the Anti-Terror Squad (ATS), to assist in the ongoing investigation.

The crackdown is part of Mission Asmita, an initiative launched by the Yogi Adityanath-led government to tackle crimes such as illegal religious conversion, radicalisation, ‘love jihad’, and foreign-funded attempts to disturb national security.

UP Director General of Police Rajeev Krishna said that the police are coordinating with other state and central agencies to trace the full extent of the network and will seek custodial remand of the accused for further questioning.

(With inputs from PTI)

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Uttar Pradesh, India, India

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