Ranchi, Sept. 16: Six persons were arrested today for allegedly trying to convert Sarna tribals in a remote hamlet in Simdega district, some 150km from Ranchi, the police action coming within a month of the newly-enacted Jharkhand Freedom of Religion Act-2017 that prescribes as much as a 4-year jail term with fines as punishment for forced conversions.

Simdega SP Rajiv Ranjan Singh claimed they acted on the basis of a complaint filed late last night by the local gram pradhan, but explained that they booked the six under IPC since the new anti-conversion law was yet to be notified.

The six, all between 30 and 40, were arrested from remote Bansitoli village, about 10km from Tethaitangar police station, under IPC section 295 (A), which pertains to deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage one's religious feelings and spread communal hatred.

"We were told that the situation was tense which could lead to altercations. It's good that we got a tip-off on time and were be able to swing into action and prevent a flare-up. I had ordered local policemen to take any action with utmost sincerity to maintain law and order," Singh said, describing those arrested as missionary workers.

Tethaitangar police station OC Brij Kumar said he was alerted at 11.30pm yesterday by Bansitoli gram pradhan Brij Kumar that a few people were camping in their village and were trying to lure tribals with money with the intention of converting them.

"The gram pradhan has given us in writing that they were camping in the area for long and were trying to convince tribals to Christianity by offering them money. We reached the village around midnight and detained six persons. We visited the village, a tiny hamlet of 40-50 households, in the morning today and interacted with several residents to verify the allegations. It was only after that did we decided to file an FIR," Kumar said.

The six, Sanjay Manjhi, Balmuni Kumari, James Baa, Dasrath Kerketta, Kalinder Manjhi and Jagdish Manjhi, were sent to a local jail this evening.

SP Singh admitted, however, that this was the first time in his three years in Simdega that people were arrested for allegedly trying to convert tribals. "But I can't say off-hand if in the past, any cases pertaining to conversion was registered or not in the district," he said.