A case has been registered against three religious preachers for attacking villagers who tried to stop them from allegedly converting women to Islam in Bihar's Buxar district, police said on Saturday.

Buxar Superintendent of Police (SP) Shubham Arya said, "Based on a complaint lodged by villagers on Thursday, a case of assault has been registered against three preachers associated with a missionary based in Nagpura village under Simri police station area." The complainants alleged that the preachers attacked them when they tried to stop conversion activities in the area.

The officer clarified, "There is no evidence to suggest that the women were being converted against their will. We are investigating the matter and collecting evidence related to it. We have questioned the preachers as well as the women who were allegedly in contact with the religious preachers."

He said that during the investigation, people associated with the missionary claimed that a group of people including women in the village had come to them on their own will. The officer said that the investigation of the case is going on and no one has been arrested yet. A video of this incident which took place in Simri area has also gone viral on social media.

In the purported video, the preachers can be seen making a cross mark on the heads of women and removing sindoor after instructing them to take a dip in the river Ganga. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders have demanded a ban on the activities of the preachers.

He told reporters, "Conversion in the name of miracles, health and education is unfortunate. This matter should be thoroughly investigated and the accused should be punished. The Buxar incident has exposed the conversion campaign being run by vested interests in some parts of the country."