Probe ordered into report on tribals changing religion

Gumla (Jharkhand): The Gumla district administration today ordered a probe to ascertain the truth behind a newspaper report claiming that several families of a primitive tribal community are changing their religious belief.

“The Bishunpur Block Development Officer has been asked to verify it and submit a report,” Gumla Deputy Commissioner Dinesh Chandra Mishra said.

The Bishunpur BDO, Ravindra Kumar Gupta, was also asked to check whether the people were getting benefits under government’s welfare schemes, Mishra said.

The probe was ordered in the wake of publication of a report in a Hindi daily that several families of the primitive ‘Asur’ tribal community had embraced Christianity.

“Conversions had happened several years ago. I will visit the place and submit a report,” the BDO said.