Dehradun, May 12 -- Police in Udham Singh Nagar district on Monday constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to probe three separate cases of alleged religious conversion registered across the district over the last 10 days - two registered at Khatima police station and another at Nanakmatta police station, under the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act. Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ajay Ganpati said that the SIT was consitituted following directions from chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, under the supervision of a circle officer to ensure a fair and effective investigation into the cases. "The allegations are serious in nature involving attempts to convert people through alleged inducements, pressure and misleading claims," he said. "We have not fixed a timeframe for the SIT to complete the investigation," Ganpati added. In the first case, a complaint was lodged at Khatima police station by Rampal, who alleged that Jai Singh Rana, Droupati Rana and Pastor Sunil George organised prayer meetings where Hinduism was allegedly criticised and attempts were made to pressure his family into adopting Christianity by offering financial assistance and assurances of curing illnesses. In another case registered at Nanakmatta police station, complainant Sohan Singh alleged that Gauri Singh and some associates were promoting Christianity through a church-like structure in the village and allegedly attempted to lure his family with an offer of Rs.5 lakh for religious conversion. Police said a case was registered under provisions of the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act and other relevant sections. In the third case, Ankit Singh Rana alleged that Pastor Dan Singh Rana was misleading members of the Tharu community by allegedly spreading hatred against Hinduism and offering false inducements in the name of ending social discrimination to encourage conversion to Christianity. A case in this regard was also registered at Khatima police station, police said. The SIT will work under the supervision of circle officer Vibhav Saini and include investigating officers concerned, station heads and members of the SOG surveillance team, officials said. "We have appealed to the public to immediately report any attempts of religious conversion through fear, coercion, fraud or inducement. Maintaining law and order and communal harmony remains the department's top priority," the SSP said. The Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, commonly referred to as the anti-conversion law, prohibits religious conversion through force, fraud, undue influence, coercion, allurement or marriage. The law provides for imprisonment and fines for those found guilty of unlawful conversion, with stricter punishment in cases involving minors, women, and persons belonging to Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes. In 2022, the state government amended the law to make provisions more stringent, increasing the maximum punishment and tightening rules related to conversion through marriage. Under the Act, individuals intending to convert voluntarily are required to inform the district magistrate in advance, while priests or persons conducting conversion ceremonies must also give prior notice to the authorities....