TNBC Condemns Arrest of Nuns, Demands Immediate Release

Chennai, July 31, 2025: The Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council (TNBC) has issued a strong statement condemning the arrest of two Catholic nuns in Chhattisgarh on charges of human trafficking and forced religious conversion, calling the incident “a violation of democratic principles and religious freedom.”

Authorities detained the two religious sisters—Sr. Preeti Mary and Sr. Vandana Francis of the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate—along with a lay associate, Mr. Sukaman Mandavi, on 25 July at Durg Railway Station. The arrest followed a complaint allegedly linking them to the forced conversion of three tribal women. The Council asserted that the accusations were false and fabricated and described the arrests as part of a growing trend of harassment against Christians and other religious minorities in India.

“These sisters have dedicated their lives to the service of the poor and marginalized, regardless of caste or creed,” said Archbishop George Antonysamy, President of the Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council. “To falsely accuse them of such serious crimes is an attempt to intimidate people of faith and undermine the values enshrined in our Constitution.”

The Bishops’ Council demanded the unconditional release of the sisters and urged the Union Government to intervene immediately. It also called for the protection of religious freedom in India and warned against the misuse of state-level laws, particularly anti-conversion legislations, which it said are increasingly being used to target and criminalise minority communities.

“In a country as diverse as India, where pluralism is our strength, we must protect the dignity and rights of all citizens,” the Council emphasised. “We are all children of one Motherland. Let us cherish unity in diversity and defend the constitutional right to freedom of belief.”

The Council’s statement echoes widespread concern across the country, especially in Kerala, where protests have erupted in support of the arrested nuns. Several civil society groups and Church leaders have also condemned the incident and expressed alarm over the apparent rise in communal hostility toward Christians.

The case has now gone before an NIA court in Bilaspur after a local sessions court denied the sisters’ bail application, citing the seriousness of the trafficking charges. Legal efforts are underway to challenge the charges and secure their release.

By Fr. Ritchie Vincent

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