Christians in a northern Indian state have sought police protection after right-wing Hindu groups allegedly threatened to accuse them of breaching a stringent anti-conversion law. In a petition submitted to the top policeman in Maharajganj district in northern Uttar Pradesh, Christians say their lives have been threatened. “We were forced to seek police protection as Bajarang Dal (Brigade of Lord Hanuman) activists continue to unleash violence against us by barging into our prayer meetings,” said Ram Lakhan, a petition signatory. Some 50 others who follow the teachings of Christ, but who have not converted to Christianity, also signed the petition submitted to the superintendent of police on July 23. They have accused Vivek Shrivastava, district president of the Bajarang Dal, and his associates of unleashing a reign of terror against Christians. They also claimed to possess video footage to back the allegations. Right-wing activists have assaulted Christians and followers of Christ, molested women, and damaged copies of the Bible, they said in the petition. Activists also allegedly threatened “to beat Christians one by one if they hold prayer meetings in the church or at their houses.” Uttar Pradesh is among 11 states in India where a draconian anti-conversion law is in force that criminalizes religious conversion from Hinduism to Christianity or Islam. Christians make up less than 1 percent of more than 200 million people in Uttar Pradesh. Most of the population are Hindus. India’s largest and most populous state is ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and right-wing Hindu groups like the Bajarang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council). Uttar Pradesh ranks second in violence against Christians. The northern state witnessed 92 such incidents in the first half of this year out of 361 incidents reported across the country, according to the United Christian Forum, an ecumenical body that tracks atrocities against Christians in India.