Hours after Bangladesh PM's warning, mob vandalises ISKCON temple, attacks its devotees on Dussehra

In another attack on the minority population of the Hindus in Bangladesh, a mob violently attacked devotees at the ISKCON temple in the Noakhali area and damaged the temple premises on Friday, on Dussehra. The ISKCON temple issued a statement on Twitter saying the temple had suffered damage and the condition of one devotee was critical. “ISKCON temple and devotees were violently attacked today by a mob in Noakhali, Bangladesh. Temple suffered significant damage & the condition of a devotee remains critical. We call on the Government of Bangladesh to ensure the safety of all Hindus and bring the perpetrators to justice,” ISKCON said in a tweet.

It is with great grief that we share the news of a ISKCON member, Partha Das, who was brutally killed yesterday by a mob of over 200 people. His body was found in a pond next to the temple.

We call on the Govt of Bangladesh for immediate action in this regard. https://t.co/BLwqGsN36h

— ISKCON (@iskcon) October 16, 2021

This attack has come a few hours after Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina assured that those who attacked Hindu temples will be hunted down and punished. On Thursday, Hindu temples had been vandalised by some unidentified miscreants during Durga Puja celebrations, killing three and injuring many others in the riot that ensued. The Ministry of External Affairs reacting to the incident on Thursday had said that the Bangladesh government promptly reacted to ensure that the situation was under control. “We have seen some disturbing reports of untoward incidents involving attacks on religious gatherings in Bangladesh. We note that the government of Bangladesh has reacted promptly to ensure control of the situation, including the deployment of law enforcement machinery,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said. With inputs from agencies