'Nuns were human traffickers': Bajrang Dal activist's complaint leads to arrest
Two Kerala nuns, Preethi Mary and Vandana Francis, plus a local man, were arrested at Durg railway station on July 25, 2025.
They're accused of human trafficking and forced religious conversion after Bajrang Dal activists intervened and pushed police to file a case.
The nuns had been taking three adult tribal women from Narayanpur to Agra for domestic work; the women had parental consent and were promised salaries.
Women were allegedly threatened, abused by right-wing activists
The three women later said they faced sexual harassment, threats, and casteist abuse by right-wing activists, including Jyoti Sharma, at the police station—one even claimed she was pressured to give a false statement against the nuns.
When police allegedly refused to act on their complaints, the women turned to the Chhattisgarh Women's Commission.
The commission has now called five accused—including activist Jyoti Sharma—for a hearing on September 2, while Sharma denies all allegations.
The nuns are out on bail but had to surrender their passports and pay ₹50,000 bonds each.