Second Hindu Lynching In Bangladesh; Sheikh Hasina Attacks Yunus Regime
Another Hindu man was beaten to death by a mob in Bangladesh, days after the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh, raising fresh concerns over the safety of minorities in the Muslim-dominated South Asian nation.
The latest incident took place in Bangladesh’s Rajbari district, where 29-year-old Amrit Mondal, alias Samrat, was killed by a group of locals at Hosaindanga Old Market in Pangsha Upazila around 11 pm on Wednesday.
The Muhammad Yunus-led interim government in Bangladesh condemned the killing but claimed there was no communal angle to the violence.
“According to police information and preliminary investigations, it is clearly evident that the incident is in no way related to communal violence. Rather, it arose from a violent situation stemming from extortion and criminal activities. The deceased, Amrit Mondal, alias Samrat, was a listed top criminal who had entered the area with the intent of collecting extortion money. At one stage, he lost his life during a clash with agitated residents,” the statement said.
Read also: Statue Of Hindu Deity ‘Vishnu’ Destroyed In Cambodia; India Calls It ‘Disrespectful’
The government further alleged that Mondal was “accused” in several serious criminal cases.
Amrit Mondal was reportedly a resident of Hosendanga village in Rajbari’s Pangsha area. Police claimed he was head of the “Samrat Bahini”, a group listed in police records, according to Bangladeshi media reports. Mandal’s group allegedly engaged in unlawful activities, including intimidation and systematic extortion.
According to the police, the 29-year-old had at least two cases filed against him, including a murder case.
On the day of the incident, Mondal was beaten up by locals when he, along with his group members, tried to extort money from a resident’s house, a report by The Daily Star said.
Upon receiving information about the incident, police rushed to the spot and rescued Mondal in a critical condition. He was taken to a hospital where doctors declared him dead around 2:00 am, Assistant Superintendent of Police (Pangsha Circle) Debrata Sarkar said, according to the report.
Mondal’s body was sent to Rajbari Sadar Hospital morgue for an autopsy, Sarkar said.
Most of his associates fled after the incident, but police arrested one man and recovered firearms from his possession.
Condemning the killing, the interim government said that it “does not support any kind of illegal activities, mass beatings or violence,” the state-run BSS news agency reported.
In a statement, the government said that the incident was not a communal attack but one stemming from a violent situation arising from extortion and terrorist activities. Legal action will be taken against everyone directly or indirectly involved in the incident, it said.
The Hindu population in Bangladesh has been affected by a series of incidents against minority communities in the country after the ouster of then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August last year.
Amid spiralling violence against minorities in Bangladesh, ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in a Christmas speech, has attacked the Yunus regime and said that the “current ruling group” has seized illegal power and is now subjecting minorities to “unspeakable torture”.
