Noida: The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) probing the alleged mass conversions is trying to trace the families of at least 10 students who had studied at the Noida Deaf Society (NDS) in the past three-four years and are believed to have changed their religion.
“The most important factors in this conversion row are allurement and inducements.
In most cases, it seems to be the lure of money or a job.
But one thing is certain — the conversions were based on inducements and they were not voluntary,” a well-placed source in the ATS said.
The move to trace the families comes a day after videos of Mohammad Umar Gautam, one of the two persons arrested in connection with the alleged conversions, surfaced.
In the clips, Umar names a few persons, including students, who he claimed had converted.
As part of its investigation into the “larger conspiracy”, the ATS is tracing the funding trail of the Islamic Dawah Centre, which was being run by Umar Gautam and Jahangir Alam Qasmi, who, too, have been arrested.
“This racket seems to be backed by a larger conspiracy.
The conversions have been happening over a period of time and they are not new.
But since the accused targeted gullible deaf and mute people, this is a well-planned conspiracy,” the source said.
Another ATS officer said the trips undertaken by Umar Gautam to the US, UK and Arab countries were also being examined.
ADG (law and order) Prashant Kumar said they were gathering evidence to prove that the alleged conversions were coercive in nature.
Ruma Roka, the founder of NDS, said they were helping ATS with information on students and teachers — two teachers of NDS are also under the scanner.
“Most of them are ex-students and no longer a part of the system here.
When their parents did not know about them, who are we? We wouldn’t know what they had been doing in their personal capacity.
Think logically.
We have a hiring process here.
Anyone who meets the criteria of being a good trainer for deaf and mute people is hired.
It is like any other company,” she added.
Meanwhile, one of the teachers associated with the outreach partner of NDS in Kanpur, Jyoti Badhir Vidyalaya Bithoor Kalan, was removed after he allegedly showed some students a religious video while closing the door of the classroom.
The mother of one of the students who is believed to have converted and gone to Kerala told TOI the teacher was scolded by the principal before being asked to leave.
ATS officers said they were also checking other schools for the deaf and mute in Delhi-NCR.
“Many students who had converted earlier are active in influencing others into changing their religion.
They have been interacting with them over phone and through video calls,” the ATS source said.
ATS helpline The ATS has released a helpline — 97921031056 — and an e-mail ID controlroom.ats-up@gov.in to share details about alleged conversions and any information related to Umar Gautam and Jahangir Alam.