Dhaka: In continuing violence against minorities in that country, a 30-year-old Hindu man was lynched by a mob in the Bhaluka upazila of Mymensingh district in Bangladesh on Thursday night. The attack took place amid anti-India protests across the country.
Dipu Chandra Das (30) was accused of making derogatory comments about Islam and Prophet Mohammad during an event at the garments-making factory, where he worked, on World Arabic Language Day.
The Muhammad Yunus-led interim government has strongly condemned the lynching of the Hindu man, saying there is no place for such violence in a new Bangladesh. It vowed that those responsible for the heinous crime would not be spared.
According to reports, the allegations against Das rapidly spread within the Pioneer Knit Composite Factory at Square Masterbari area, and surrounding areas, sparking tension. He was assaulted by an angry mob, leading to his death.
The mob is then accused of taking the body to the Square Masterbari bus stand area and tying it to a tree with a rope. The miscreants then kept on beating him while shouting slogans. They then set the body on fire, as reported by NDTV.
Finally, the body was taken to the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway and set on fire again, disrupting traffic and spreading panic among local residents. The incident triggered heightened tension in the area.
Md Firoz Hossain, Bhaluka Upazila executive officer, confirmed the incident and said a person was killed over allegations of insulting the Prophet. He said that the body is now in police custody.
The incident occurred even as violent protests gripped Bangladesh following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent leader of the July Uprising. Hadi was shot by unidentified assailants in Dhaka on December 12. He was radical in his beliefs and made regular comments against India and former prime minister Sk Hasina.
His supporters have alleged that India provided shelter to Hadi’s shooters. This is something India has vehemently denied.
