- 03 May, 2026
Udaipur, May 3, 2026: A Catholic prayer gathering in Kushalgarh, Rajasthan's Banswara district was disrupted on Friday evening after a group of men stormed the venue, accused participants of religious conversion, and sparked a confrontation, according to the parish priest, Fr. Arvind Amliyar, of the area.
The incident took place at around 6:30 p.m. in Kalinjara village, under Bandaria Parish in Kushalgarh tehsil. The gathering was held in a Catholic village setting, not inside a church building, the priest clarified.
Speaking to Catholic Connect, the priest said approximately 70 people, including families, children, and elderly members of the community, had assembled for a novena prayer and the celebration of the Eucharist.
According to the priest, a group of 12 to 13 men entered the premises during the prayer service. They allegedly began questioning those present, recorded videos, and levelled accusations of religious conversion. They also reportedly raised allegations related to cow slaughter and made other claims against the community.
"Our people were trying to pacify things, telling them it is not conversion. If there is any doubt, the police can come and inquire," the priest said.
He alleged that the situation soon turned hostile, with the intruders pushing participants, using abusive language, and verbally harassing even the women present.
Tensions escalated further when one of the men was seen carrying a large knife.
"Suddenly they saw that one of them had a big knife," the priest said, adding that the sight of the weapon caused panic among the faithful.
"Seeing the knife, our people got angry and tried to protect themselves," he said. A scuffle reportedly broke out, after which the group fled the scene, leaving behind two to three motorcycles.
The priest described the incident as appearing premeditated and claimed that the attackers had acted on false information regarding alleged religious conversions.
Police arrived at the scene shortly afterward. However, the priest alleged that instead of taking action against the intruders, officers detained four local Catholics, including a retired principal and three young men.
"Police took four people, including a retired principal and three youths," he said.
He further alleged that police declined to register a First Information Report (FIR) despite repeated attempts.
"We went in the night around 1 or 1:30 with witnesses, but they didn't accept our FIR," he said. "Even in the morning, they refused, saying they already had one report from the other side."
According to the priest, the community was only able to submit a complaint under Section 154 of the Criminal Procedure Code. He also alleged that local officials appeared to be acting under external pressure.
No injuries were reported among those attending the prayer service.
Meanwhile, videos of the incident circulating on YouTube appear to show only portions of the confrontation and do not capture the full sequence of events or perspectives from all parties involved.
By Catholic Connect Reporter
© 2026 CATHOLIC CONNECT POWERED BY ATCONLINE LLP
