Guwahati (Assam) [India], November 29 (HBTV): A pastor from the historic 126-year-old Golaghat Baptist Church in Dergaon, Assam, has become the first individual from the state’s Christian community to face imprisonment under the newly enacted Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Act.

Introduced by the BJP-led Himanta Biswa Sarma government in February, the Act defines 'evil practices' as the 'commission of any act of healing practices and magic healing, by any person, with a sinister motive to exploit common people'.

The pastor, identified as 38-year-old Pranjal Bhuyan of Padmapur village, was reportedly arrested for attempting to 'convert' Hindus in the area using 'magical healing practices'. Bhuyan was produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate on Saturday and has been remanded to 14-day judicial custody, according to reports.

Under Section 6(a) of the Act, violators face imprisonment of up to one year for a first offense, extendable to three years, or a fine of INR 50,000, or both, upon conviction.

(Inputs from ThePrint)