07-23-2008, 08:15 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Cases booked against 3 foreigners </b>
Hyderabad, July 22: Cases under Foreignerâs Act were registerded against three foreigners after complaints of their alleged involvement in indulging in religious conversion at a school in Tilak Nagar.
Mild tension prevailed at the school premises with the activists of BJP and Hindu Vahini staging a protest today in front of the school demanding action against the accused.
Trouble started when activists of Hindu Vahini and BJP gathered in front of the St Annaâs high school at Tilak Nagar. They alleged that three US nationals and three others from Tamil Nadu were indulging in religious preachings to the students during prayer time. The preachings were going on for the past one week, the right-wing activists alleged.
Initially, the school management denied any such activity in the school premises. With the protestors unrelenting, the school management claimed that the foreigners were imparting âmoral valuesâ only and no preaching or conversion activity was going on in the premises.
The BJP and Hindu Vahini activists argued the need for foreigners to impart moral values to the students and claimed that the school management was directly supporting the conversion activity.
At one stage, the right-wing activists tried to barge into the school premises but were prevented by the police.
Police took the three US nationalsâ Richard (26), Jerry Dorge (48) and Casper Rhonda (43)âinto custody and took them to the Kacheguda police station.
The BJP and Hindu Vahini activists, however, did not relent. They staged a dharna in front of the police station demanding cases against the accused and action against the school management.
Police booked cases under Foreignerâs Act and are investigating. ââAll the three are in possession of valid documents and have come to the city on invitation from YMCA. We are yet to investigate the charges against them,ââ East Zone DCP T Prabhakar Rao said.
The police have to collect evidence of the foreignersâ involvement in religious conversion, the DCP said and added that the statements of the schoolchildren and their parents would also be taken.
Police are also investigating into the involvement of the three other persons from Tamil Nadu in the alleged conversion activity. The involvement of the school management would also be probed, Prabhakar Rao said.
The foreigners hail from Atlanta and have landed in the city on July 11.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Hyderabad, July 22: Cases under Foreignerâs Act were registerded against three foreigners after complaints of their alleged involvement in indulging in religious conversion at a school in Tilak Nagar.
Mild tension prevailed at the school premises with the activists of BJP and Hindu Vahini staging a protest today in front of the school demanding action against the accused.
Trouble started when activists of Hindu Vahini and BJP gathered in front of the St Annaâs high school at Tilak Nagar. They alleged that three US nationals and three others from Tamil Nadu were indulging in religious preachings to the students during prayer time. The preachings were going on for the past one week, the right-wing activists alleged.
Initially, the school management denied any such activity in the school premises. With the protestors unrelenting, the school management claimed that the foreigners were imparting âmoral valuesâ only and no preaching or conversion activity was going on in the premises.
The BJP and Hindu Vahini activists argued the need for foreigners to impart moral values to the students and claimed that the school management was directly supporting the conversion activity.
At one stage, the right-wing activists tried to barge into the school premises but were prevented by the police.
Police took the three US nationalsâ Richard (26), Jerry Dorge (48) and Casper Rhonda (43)âinto custody and took them to the Kacheguda police station.
The BJP and Hindu Vahini activists, however, did not relent. They staged a dharna in front of the police station demanding cases against the accused and action against the school management.
Police booked cases under Foreignerâs Act and are investigating. ââAll the three are in possession of valid documents and have come to the city on invitation from YMCA. We are yet to investigate the charges against them,ââ East Zone DCP T Prabhakar Rao said.
The police have to collect evidence of the foreignersâ involvement in religious conversion, the DCP said and added that the statements of the schoolchildren and their parents would also be taken.
Police are also investigating into the involvement of the three other persons from Tamil Nadu in the alleged conversion activity. The involvement of the school management would also be probed, Prabhakar Rao said.
The foreigners hail from Atlanta and have landed in the city on July 11.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->