FOUR HELD FOR PROSELYTISING IN SRISAILAM

Four people have been taken into custody for “actively propagating Christianity” at Srisailam and remanded to judicial custody on Saturday.

The four were booked under Section 3 of the Andhra Pradesh Propagation of Other Religions in Places of Worship or Prayer (Prohibition) Act,

2007 (Act 24 of 2007). The section provides for three years’ imprisonment, if convicted, along with a fine of up to

`5,000 or both, said Atmakur DSP Venkatrao.

Providing details, the officer said Peter and Timothy, residents of Sunnienta, along with two others from Mahbubnagar in Telangana and Uyyur in Krishna district, were found holding bibles and conspicuously reading out passages at Rudra Park in Srisailam on Friday. They were arrested following a complaint received from authorities of Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple.

The four were produced before the Nandyal court, which has remanded them to judicial custody. Peter was held under the same Act for a similar offence in 2018. That case against him has been pending in court, the DSP disclosed.