Yogi govt cracks down on illegal religious conversion, Rs 50,000 rewardee Jamaluddin alias Changur Baba arrested

UP ATS arrests gang mastermind along with associate Neetu alias Nasreen

Lucknow : The Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh has intensified its crackdown on illegal religious conversions, achieving another major breakthrough in its ongoing campaign. In a significant action, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested Jamaluddin, alias Changur Baba, the alleged mastermind of a gang involved in unlawful conversions and a wanted criminal with a bounty of Rs 50,000 on his head.

Along with Jamaluddin, the ATS also apprehended his associate Neetu alias Nasreen, who is believed to have played an active role in the operations of the gang. Earlier, two other members of the same network had already been arrested and sent to jail by the ATS.

ADG Law and Order Amitabh Yash shared that several suspicious individuals, including Pir Sahab, Nasreen, Jamaluddin, and Mehboob, were living in Madhpur village of Balrampur. Investigations revealed that within just a year, they had purchased property worth crores of rupees—showrooms, bungalows, and luxury cars—allegedly funded by foreign sources. The case was handed over to the UP ATS for deeper investigation.

According to the ATS findings, the gang was running a well-planned operation where they targeted young women, trapped them in love, and then forced them to convert. Members of the gang reportedly traveled to Islamic countries around 40 times. They also opened over 40 bank accounts under their own names and in the names of fake organizations. Around Rs 100 crore was transacted through these accounts, all believed to be funded from abroad. These foreign funds were used to buy expensive properties and vehicles.

Based on this evidence, the UP ATS arrested Jamaluddin alias Changur Baba and his associate Neetu alias Nasreen from Madhpur village in Balrampur. During questioning, the accused revealed that Jamaluddin used to promote himself as “Pir Baba” and “Hazrat Baba Jalaluddin.” He also published a book called Shijra-e-Tayyaba, which was reportedly used by the group to spread religious propaganda and brainwash people.
Notably, Jamaluddin had been on the run for a long time, and a reward of Rs 50,000 had been announced for his arrest.

The ADG further shared that the gang involved in illegal religious conversions was running a dangerous and organized conspiracy. Hindu girls were trapped in fake love affairs, brainwashed, and tricked into marriage under false identities.

One such case involved Gunja Gupta, a resident of Lucknow, who was lured by a man named Abu Ansari posing as Amit. He took her to Changur Baba’s shrine, where her name was changed to Alina Ansari. She was promised a better life, money, and protection in exchange for converting.

The gang had fixed rates for converting Hindu girls. According to the ATS investigation, girls from Brahmin, Kshatriya, and Sikh communities were targeted for Rs 15–16 lakh, backward caste girls for Rs 10–12 lakh, and others for Rs 8–10 lakh. These conversions were not just religious but part of a well-organized financial crime.

The gang also targeted poor and helpless individuals. Those who refused to convert were threatened with false legal cases. Along with Changur Baba, others involved in the operation included Mehboob, Pinky Harijan, Hazira Shankar, Sagir, a alleged journalist named Amen Rizvi, and Neetu. The UP ATS is actively investigating the case and conducting raids to arrest other accused members of the gang.