Iskcon seeks India’s 'immediate' intervention after Bangladesh arrests priest Chinmoy Krishna Das

The Iskcon has urged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Indian government to “take immediate steps” and speak to the Bangladesh interim government for the release of their priest and prominent Hindu spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, who was detained and taken into custody by the Dhaka police on Monday.

In a post on social media platform X, International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) has called the allegations claiming their involvement in terrorist activities worldwide as baseless.

“We have come across disturbing reports that Sri Chinmoy Krishna Das, one of the prominent leaders of Iskcon Bangladesh, has been detained by the Dhaka police. It is outrageous to make baseless allegations that ISKCON has anything to do with terrorism anywhere in the world,” ISKCON said.

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“Iskcon,Inc. urges the Government of India to take immediate steps and speak to the Government of Bangladesh and convey that we are a peace-loving Bhakti movement,” they further said.

Release Chinmoy Krishna Das immediately

The Iskcon further said that they want the Bangladesh government to “immediately release” Chinmoy Krishna Das. “Our prayers to Lord Krishna for the protection of these devotees,” they further said.

As per reports in local media, Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is commonly known as Krishna Prabhu Das, was taken into custody by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday (November 25) at 4:30 pm.

A report in Bangladesh’s leading daily Dhaka Tribune quoted Additional Commissioner of DB, Rezaul Karim Mallik, as confirming Chinmoy Krishna Das’s detention and saying that it was based on a requisition related to a complaint.

Mallik further mentioned that Chinmoy Krishna Das would be handed over to the related police station. However, the specific details of the complaint against him were not immediately disclosed by the DB official.

Also Read: ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari detained in Bangladesh: Reports

As per a report in Daily Star, a sedition case was filed by authorities on October 31 against 19 individuals, including Chinmoy, who previously served as divisional organising secretary of Iskcon, Chattogram.

The case statement details an incident from October 25, where “a group of youths reportedly placed a saffron-coloured flag over the Bangladeshi flag on the Independent pillar (Shadhinata Smathamva) at Zero Point near the New Market intersection during a rally organised by the Hindu community under the banner ‘Sanatan Jagaran Mancha.’”

After the news of his arrest, several people took to the street and protested at the Cheragi intersection in Dhaka, chanting slogans and demanding his release.

Videos that went viral on social media late Monday showed Bangladeshi policemen targeting the protestors who were marching towards the Cheragi intersection.

Who is Chinmoy Krishna Das?

Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari was earlier known as Chandan Kumar Dhar.

As per a report in AFP, Krishna Das Prabhu is a prominent Hindu leader in Bangladesh and a member of the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatan Jagaran Jote group. He has also worked as the spokesperson of Iskcon.

Chinmoy Krishna Das has been a vocal advocate for Hindu rights in Bangladesh and has also been a vocal critic of targeted hate attacks and religious discrimination in the country.

Over the past few days, he organised multiple rallies in Bangladesh to condemn the alleged “atrocities against fellow devotees”.

With inputs from agencies.