The Catholic church and political parties with stakes in Kerala, including the BJP, on Saturday welcomed the release of two nuns and a tribal youth, accused of human trafficking and forced conversion, from Durg Central Jail in Chhattisgarh.

They were arrested nine days ago at Durg station, where they were heckled by Bajrang Dal members who claimed that they were trafficking tribal women. The accused were booked under a Chhattisgarh law against forced and fraudulent conversion.

Granting bail to the accused, a Chhattisgarh court held that the case was based on “mere apprehension and suspicion of commission of an offence”. Outside the prison, politicians from the CPM-led Left Democratic Front, Congress-led United Democratic Front and the BJP — whose government in Chhattisgarh had opposed the bail — welcomed the nuns Preethy Mary and Vandana Francis.

Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, said: “We are grateful to the government for the support shown in this case. We hope this marks the beginning of renewed efforts to protect the rights and dignity of all religious minorities in our secular democracy.”

Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who was among those who received the nuns outside the jail, posted on X: “Deeply grateful to the judiciary, PM Shri Narendra Modi ji, Home Minister Shri Amit Shah ji, Chhattisgarh CM Shri Vishnu Deo Sai ji…. The BJP will always stand by any Malayali in crisis, wherever they are in the world, regardless of their religion, caste, or beliefs.”

Earlier, commenting on the incident, Sai had said that an attempt was made “to engage in human trafficking and conversion through inducement”.

The parents of the three alleged trafficking victims had filed affidavits stating that their daughters were neither induced nor coerced by the accused to convert. Of the three alleged victims, two told the police that they had been following Christianity since childhood, the judge pointed out.

CPM leader Brinda Karat said in a video message: “The bails for the nuns and the Adivasi youth are a result of the united resolve of the people of India. We congratulate the nuns and the Adivasis involved, who showed such great dignity in their suffering. We have to ensure that the case is withdrawn.”