The sources said the sections added were 153(a) and 153(b), relating to hurting religious sentiments, and 325 IPC (causing fractures).

Reacting to the news, VHP leader Niraj Jain said: ``The police have overreacted in the matter. Police action is intended to appease Christians. We will fight the battle both in public as well as in the courts. Police officials involved in registration of fresh cases against VHP-Dal volunteers will have to face serious consequences for their misadventurism''.

The original case was under Section 323, pertaining to injury without fracture, and Section 114, relating to abetment of crime. These were bailable offences, and all seven activists arrested in two batches were released by the police soon after showing their arrest in crime register.

However, the addition of new sections have made the charges non-bailable and the accused will have to approach the court to seek bail.

The new charges were added following investigation that ruled out forcible conversion at the Christian convention. The police team had gone as far as Dhulia in Maharashtra to enquire whether tribals had been lured by money power or brought by force for their religious conversion, but found the VHP-Dal allegations totally baseless, the sources added.