Hyderabad: A racket involving the proselytization of minors hailing from backward rural communities, which has been unearthed by the Rachakonda Police, has shocked not only the state but also the central agencies. Officers from the Central and state intelligence agencies, including those investigating terror cases, have now started probing the role of the suspects arrested in connection with this racket.
Senior officials say that though the gang has not been found to have any connections with radical organisations as yet, the possibility cannot be ruled out.
So far, the cops have arrested nine persons and rescued 17 kids from a home run by them. A custody petition has already been filed, and the cops hope to be able to extract more details from the suspects.
Senior officials say that Burugupalli Satya-narayana alias Mohd Siddique, the prime accused, converted to Islam while he was an intermediate student. Within a few months, he learnt about the teachings of Islam. He moved to Warangal, then to Suryapet in Nalgonda district, and finally to Kakinada, where he decided to embrace Islam.
Satyanarayana began travelling to rural are-as to identify children to be brought to the Peace Orphan Home Society, which was bei-ng run by Motapothula Praveen alias Abdulla. He would convince the children’s parents to send them to the home by saying that they would be provided with food, accommodation, and education. At the home, the children would be made to convert to Islam.
The Rachakonda police received a tip-off regarding the racket from intelligence agencies. They then worked towards collecting evidence for over a month, informed child welfare officials, and finally raided the home in Moula Ali. “We have seized religious literature and mobile phones from the home. It has been found that the kids were given printed material to learn Arabic and Urdu. They have also told us that they were taught the Quran every day,” a cop said.
Cops have learnt that the parents of some children were also converted to Islam, but this is yet to be verified.
Since Satyanarayana does not have a passport, it is clear that he has not travelled abroad – which comes a relief to the cops. Meanwhile, they have also found another institute, which operates in Kakinada, and allegedly engages in similar activities.
