India has reacted strongly to the recent killing of a Hindu man in Bangladesh, calling the series of recent attacks on members of the minority community “disturbing” and warning that such violence cannot be ignored.
Addressing a weekly media briefing on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi is closely monitoring developments across the border. He said the government has taken serious note of these incidents and emphasized that attacks on minorities “cannot be ignored.”
‘Serious concern’ over repeated attacks on minorities
Jaiswal said India condemns the violence and expects that the perpetrators will be identified and punished. “The continued hostility against minorities, including Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists, by extremists in Bangladesh is a matter of serious concern,” he said.
Condemning the “horrific” killing of a Hindu youth in Mymensingh, the spokesperson said that during the interim government’s tenure, independent sources have documented over 2,900 incidents of violence against minorities, including murders, arson attacks, and land grabbing. “These incidents cannot be dismissed as mere media exaggeration or political violence,” he said.
Rajbari killing: What the police say
The latest incident occurred on Wednesday in Pangsha Upazila of Rajbari town, about 145 km west of Dhaka. According to local media reports citing police, the victim, identified as Amrit Mandal, was beaten to death by locals following allegations of extortion.
Police said Mandal was suspected of leading a criminal gang involved in extortion and other illegal activities. On the day of the incident, he and several of his associates allegedly attempted to extort money from a resident’s house. Local residents confronted the group and attacked Mandal, severely injuring him. Police said they arrived at the scene after being alerted and took him to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead at around 2 a.m.
Mandal’s body was later sent to Rajbari Sadar Hospital for post-mortem examination. Most of his alleged accomplices fled the area, although police said one person was arrested and weapons were recovered. Investigators also revealed that Mandal had at least two cases filed against him, including one for murder. Mymensingh lynching sparks outrage
The killing in Rajbari comes just days after another Hindu man was lynched in Mymensingh, sparking widespread outrage.
The victim, identified as Dipu Das, also reported in some accounts as 25-year-old Dipu Chandra Das, was a factory worker in Mymensingh city, about 112 km north of Dhaka. Police and local media reported that he was attacked following allegations of blasphemy.
According to investigators, Das was first beaten by a mob outside a factory on Thursday night and later hanged from a tree. His body was then left by the side of the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway and set on fire, bringing traffic to a standstill on both sides of the road.
Videos of the lynching circulated widely on social media, further fueling public anger and deepening concerns about the safety of minorities in Bangladesh.