Explainer: Why Kerala nuns were arrested in Chhattisgarh
Two Kerala nuns, Preethi Mary and Vandana Francis, were arrested in Chhattisgarh on July 25 after being accused of forcing tribal women to convert to Christianity.
Local groups claimed human trafficking, but the women said they traveled willingly for work.
The nuns and their work
Mary and Francis are part of the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate (ASMI), a Kerala-based group that's been around for 75 years.
Both have spent nearly three decades providing healthcare and education to tribal communities in Chhattisgarh—Mary as a nurse, Francis in pharmacy—with ASMI running clinics and schools for people who need it most.
Bail, protests, and bigger conversations
After more than a week in custody, the nuns got bail on August 2, but their arrest triggered protests across Kerala and other states.
Christian organizations called the charges baseless, while many saw this as part of bigger conversations about anti-conversion laws, minority rights, and what it means to protect civil liberties in India today.
Church leaders say the nuns' humanitarian work speaks louder than any accusation.